


Taking Time to Save Ourselves and The World

by CryptidKid2020



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I love this show and all its characters, No Incest, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon Fix-It, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-11-17 21:22:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 35,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18106733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryptidKid2020/pseuds/CryptidKid2020
Summary: One second they were surrounded by blue, holding onto one another's hand, and facing the apocalypse...The next, they found themselves thirteen again, and siting in their living room like nothing ever happened.They went back in time to change the future, to save the world. So, what not save themselves too in the process.(6 time things changed + the 1 time things didn't.)





	1. Prologue

One second, they’re standing side by side, their hands linking them together in more ways than just physical. They watch as the world they’ve known for their thirty years of existence burn and whirl away in a soft glowing blue. The seven Hargreeves siblings see themselves become young once again, back in their matching academy outfits. Even more so, the seven of them are all _alive_. Ben stands with his hand on Klaus’s shoulder—like he never tragically died and lived along the dead for fourteen years. Fire and bright red shines through the theater’s windows—almost taunting their imminent doom. Their doom known as the apocalypse. The apocalypse they were _supposed_ to stop.

The apocalypse they’re _going_ to stop.

Blue whirls around them faster.

The apocalypse that isn’t going to _happen_.

Five yells out something.

Things are going to change, _they’re_ going to change things.

Blue starts to overwhelm them.

Things are going to be _different_ the second time around.

Blue starts to consume them all, their hold on one another becomes tighter.

Things _must_ change, for the future of humanity, and for _themselves_.

Blue dissipates, and the world crashes and burns.

.

.

.

.

 

One second, they’re facing the apocalypse, and the next they’re sitting in the living room with a recorded lecture playing softly in the background.

The year is 2002, they’re all thirteen again, and they have seventeen years to make things _right_.


	2. Chapter One: Changing our Dynamics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They start the process of changing the future, both as a team and a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love writing this dysfunctional family and I love 80's music. They go together so well in this show.  
> Hope you enjoy!!

It’s been two weeks since they’ve traveled back in time to save the world—save themselves and try to hold onto what’s left of their family. Within those two weeks they’ve adjusted to being back in their young bodies—except for Five, whose been living as his thirteen-year-old self a week more than the rest of his siblings. They’ve gotten used to their harsh and ridiculous training schedules, they’re youthfulness makes the transition easier than it could’ve been.

They’ve adjusted to living back under the constant unfeeling gaze of the now alive Sir Reginald Hargreeves. Even though there’s a tenseness that occurs in their shoulders when Sir Reginald looks upon them with disappointment in his cold dead blue eyes. Or when he raises his voice, they’re frozen and silent as they listen to whatever their father has to say to them.

The nervous ticks—that’s what Vanya called them in her autobiography—is something the seven of them hadn’t seriously thought about in a long time, as they didn’t really realize they had them until later in their life, when their father wasn’t really a part of it.

It took two weeks, but they’ve adjusted back into the life they’ve already lived.

Within those weeks back, they haven’t talked about what their next plans are, or what they’re going to do to help Vanya and her powers. Besides training and seeing each other at breakfast or dinner… well, they haven’t been seeing much of one another outside of those times—much less _talk_ to one another.

Somehow turning back time made them less of a family than they were the first time around. 

Before, they still had one sibling, one person, or thing they would talk to or rely on. Klaus with Ben and vice versa, Diego with Mom, Alison and Luther, Five with his equations, leaving Vanya with her violin and occasionally Pogo or even a rarer occurrence, with Five, himself.

That's how it used to be. That’s how things worked within the academy and did work until Five left and Ben died. Then, like a nuclear power plant without proper etiquette, it blew up in their faces only leaving traces of a severely dysfunctional family and a mile-long list of personal struggles.   

Now, they don't talk at _all_.

Klaus is too nervous to talk with Ben, to reach out in a way he hasn’t been able to in fourteen years. Ben’s afraid for nearly the same reasons, afraid he's going to say or do something that sets off one of his siblings, either in tears or in a fit of anger. Diego hides away from Mom as guilt from his first life’s decisions haunts him. The image of her standing by the window waving peacefully while their home was destroyed, and the world began to crumble and folds itself onto her.

Allison liked handling her anger and frustration on her own, to battle her own feelings against herself, against Luther, and the _world_. Luther stops himself from trying to talk to his other siblings, knowing that he’s been too much of a coward to just simply _apologize_ to his siblings—more specifically to _Vanya_. Five stays away as much as he can without rousing suspicion of Sir Reginald, he tries to soothe his paranoia involving the Commission finding out about his family’s little trip to the past. Five couldn’t let himself fail and let them find them all again, especially when he was _so_ sure they could get it right this time around, that they could fix things this time— _fix_ Vanya. _Fix_ their family. _End_ the apocalypse.  

Vanya was too absorbed in her guilt, her self-loathing. She continues to take her medicine even though she knows what it does—what it took away from her without her knowledge. Yet, she's afraid of herself. Afraid of what she can _do_ , what she _did_ —she couldn’t care less what she did with Leonard—but what she did to Allison, her _sister_ , to Pogo and then the entire world… Vanya could hardly stand herself, so how could she talk to her siblings when she deserved _nothing_ from them.

Within those two weeks she’s only played her violin, two and a half times, her third attempt ending half-way when something fell, and her first thought was that somehow her powers broke through. Causing Vanya to abruptly stop—her violin ending on a sour note as she started to tremble in fear and cry to herself softly. Vanya can distance herself enough emotionally when Sir Reginald demands to hear what she’s been practicing. For some reason that’s enough for her to tuck away her feelings just long enough to play the violin without a single mistake. She seems to run on auto-pilot when that is asked of her, like Vanya can simply just fall back into what she worked so hard to master her whole life. Now, she can’t even play for herself as her trembling hands fumbles over the neck of what once was her most prized possession.  

Overall, everything felt weird, the house, the training, the dinners, and what little down time they were rewarded. They didn't know what to say to do to one another besides a nod or shake of the head or the rare comforting squeeze to the arm from one to another. They didn't really communicate for those two weeks, never verbally unless provoked by their father. What was an even rarer of an occurrence was the physical aspect, as touch was never really a thing within their family—but somehow living it all again it felt like they were missing something in their day to day living.

For two weeks things somehow seemed even worse than what it was before. And they had no idea how to fix it. They may be mentally thirty—or in Five’s case fifty-eight—but they’ve always been distant in most emotional situations, they were taught to lick their own wounds and to be able to handle themselves.

It took two weeks for someone to finally do something.

And that someone, was actually someone(s). An unsurprising Klaus and a surprising Luther.

Sir Reginald was known to take a rare break from the academy, leaving for a day or two to settle some affairs in a nearby city or state, or he would even travel to another country. Those trips were a time where the Hargreeves children could take a break from their chaotic superhero lives and temporarily take on the life of the typical teenager.

After two weeks of dead silence between the seven Hargreeves sibling, Sir Reginald left the academy and wasn’t due back until three days later. Pogo was off doing little things for Sir, and Grace was doing what she did every day until she was to put the children to bed.

It was the perfect time to get together and plan their next move without their father’s presence causing further worry or fear. Yet, no one has done _anything_.

Until two somebody’s did.

During the early evening of the first day of their fathers leave, most of them were spread about the house trying to fill up the silence with random mindless activities.

Diego was laying on his bed tossing a knife like you would a baseball, Vanya was sitting alone in the living room, drawing random things on a scrap of paper. Ben was half-heartedly reading a book he took from their fathers’ private library, and Allison was sitting in the kitchen watching Grace begin to cook dinner. As Five randomly rearranged things in his bedroom, trying to optimize the best amount of usable wall space.

They weren’t exactly having fun or enjoying what they were doing, but they were at least doing _something_ to fill the boredom they were all deeply feeling. 

While the other five siblings were off doing random things, Klaus was trying to convince Luther to help him out with his plan to get the ‘gang back together’.

“C’mon Lulu it’ll just take a second, then BAM were all working together again,” Klaus assured, throwing himself onto Luther’s bed, nearly landing on Luther himself.

Luther huffs and sits up off the bed, avoiding eye contact with Klaus as he’s still not confidant being around his siblings. “Klaus… it’s not that simple-.”

“Oh yes, it is,” interrupts Klaus sitting up and bouncing across the room to face Luther, his expression leaving no room for arguments. Leaving Luther to shut his mouth audibly and motion for Klaus to continue, “Danke, now we need to choose the perfect song.”

Klaus grins and turns around to look through Luther’s music collection, his fingers dancing across the edges of each vinyl. Luther waits a few seconds before sighing and meeting up with Klaus on the floor. Klaus shoots Luther a quick side smile, before continuing to look for the perfect song.

Luther looks at his music collection alongside his brother in comfortable silence, but once the silence got a bit too much for Luther, he opened his mouth to talk to Klaus about the past, or the possible future at least.

 “Klaus I-,”

“Luth you can talk all about it more later, capiche?” Cuts in Klaus without looking up from the vinyl’s.

“I, uh-okay,” Luther says, swallowing the rest of the words he really wanted to say. He turns away from looking at Klaus and starts to look again, after another second passes by, a familiar vinyl jacket. He pulls it out and looks over it, his own small smile beginning to play across his lips.

“How about this one?”

Klaus stops his search and looks over at Luther’s pick. He looks over the cover and meets the imploring eyes of his brother, Klaus gives Luther a big mischievous grin before taking the vinyl and clapping the other on the shoulder.

“With this my dear brother, we can finally get the band back together!” Klaus exclaims, holding up the vinyl triumphally.

Quirking his brow in confusion to Klaus’s reference, Klaus just rolls his eyes and stands up from the ground and bounces on the heels of his feet. “We’ll have to get you up to date with movies, one of these days. All of us should, _really_ beneficial,” Hums Klaus.

“Sure Klaus,” Luther replies, wishing that he had the same kind of optimism about the seven of them getting along again. But from what happened in their first go, and the last two weeks, it seems almost impossible to get to the point where they could have a movie night together.

“I mean you’ve kinda already done this before—remember when you played Tiffany, before Five came back?”

“Yeah, I just thought it was too quiet here.”

“Well, I’m thinking the same thing right about now. Dear old dads not here, and everyone is acting like a freaking zombie and I’m seriously getting bored to death around here!”

Luther chuckles, the action feeling weird for a second before the strangeness melts into something he hasn’t felt in a long time, “Alright, Alright, just don’t play it too loud or Pogo will hear us.”

“Pshh, don’t be a downer! Like Pogo or mom are going to do anything. Hell, Luth maybe _he_ might even start dancing!” Jokes Klaus, unsheathing the vinyl from its jacket.

Klaus sets up the vinyl and cranks up the sound as loud as it can go. Before setting down the needle, Klaus mumbles to himself not even realizing Luther can hear him as he says: “Hope this better work.”

And yeah Luther sure hopes so, because he’s wanting things to be different the second time around. Not just because they need to prevent the apocalypse, but also because he wants to see what can be changed for the better.

* * *

 The house is quiet, too quiet. It leaks an uneasy feeling of anticipation, like it's always waiting for something either good or bad to happen.

They’ve lived with that feeling their whole childhood, so when the familiar—yet not so comforting presence suddenly disappears… well the Hargreeves siblings—minus Luther and Klaus—are immediately on high alert. Stopping their mindless activities to go investigate what caused their sudden anxiety.

Vanya sits up from the couch, her eyes darting past the doorway to see Diego, Ben and Five come down the stairs. Vanya hears footsteps behind her and turns to find a confused Allison walking towards her hesitantly.

The three boys enter the living room, looking at their sisters with questionable expressions. Seeing nothing different or weird about the room—besides all of them being in the same room together after avoiding each other—Diego quirks a brow towards Allison and Vanya before opening his mouth and-

“Did you guy’s feel anything like, weird a minute ago?” Ben cuts in, unknowingly interrupting his brother.

“Yeah,” Allison said as she points her thumb towards the kitchen, “I was just watching mom, and all a sudden I got a shiver down my back.”

“The temperature could’ve dropped,” Offers Five, even though he also experienced a similar thing.

Diego shakes his head, “No, I got that too,” he dismisses, “I thought something bad had happened.”

“Did anything happen?” Ben asks, gesturing to Vanya seeing that she was downstairs before any of them.

Vanya, not trusting her words just looks down at her hand and shakes her head, missing the way her siblings’ expressions fall.

“So,” Five starts earning the attention of his sibling’s, “We all got the same unexplainable urge to go check on what, nothing? Does anyone else find that as odd as I do?” He asks, sticking his hands in his shorts pockets and leaning nonchalantly against the living room wall.

“Of course, we find it odd Five—otherwise we all would’ve all left the room by now,” Laughed Diego, throwing himself onto another couch.

“Any idea on what could’ve caused it?” Allison asks, setting herself down next to Vanya, only a few inches between them.

Five chuckles softly, “Maybe the timeline is finally catching up to us.”

“Can that really happen?” Asks Ben, looking at Five with worry in his eyes.

This time Five just shrugs leaving the others to scoff, “Sorry if I’ve been too busy making sure the Commission doesn’t find out what kind of stunt we’ve pulled,” Five retorts, leaving the wall to stand in front of them all.

“Hey,” speaks up Allison, “Ben was just asking a question, were all confused as to what’s going on here,” She defends.

Five sighs and rubs his hand over his face, “I know that Allison just… we’re in the void right now alright,” He says, looking up at his siblings, “We’ve completely ruined the timeline we’ve known all our lives. We have no idea if things are going to stay the same this time or if things are going to be completely different.”

Ben frowns, “Does that mean I have to die again?” he choked out.

“We wouldn’t know until that mission happens again, your death could be a fixed event—even though just us being here means we manipulate fixed points,” Five points out.

“So, Ben could still die?” Asked Diego with a frown of his own.

“Yes, any of us can!” Exclaims Five.

Sighing when his siblings and him wince slightly at his own raised voice, Five leans against the couch's arm with crossed arms.

It’s silent for a while, and most of them are thinking about exiting the room and resuming their previous activity’s until called to dinner. It seems the conversation is completely over as Diego heavily sighs before lifting himself off the couch and out of the living room.

“Where’s Klaus and Luther?” Vanya questions, her voice weak and scratchy from disuse.

She hadn’t used it since the first day back to the past when she simply said: “I’m so sorry” to Allison before running upstairs, leaving the rest of her still winded siblings on the floor of the front room, confused as to her apology and ashamed for failing her so badly.

Now, her question makes Diego freeze in place before turning back around into the living room.

As the shock from Vanya suddenly speaking to them fades away, they start to wonder where their other two brothers are, or if they got the same feeling they did and just didn’t care. And as they thought about it longer, they all came to the same horrifying thought that somehow the Commission got to them and now the five of them must come up with a plan to save them and get them all out alive and—

And then that’s when the music begins to play.

* * *

 

 _**~ “Oh girls, they wanna have fun** _  
_**Oh girls just want to have fun** _  
_**They just wanna, they just wanna** _  
_**They just wanna, they just wanna, oh girl** _  
_**Girls they wanna have fun** _  
_**They just wanna, they just wanna** _  
_**They just wanna, they just wanna, girls** _  
_**They just wanna, they just wanna, oh girls** _  
_**Girls just want to have fun!” ~** _

The volume is almost too much, but it sounds and _feels_ just right.

Klaus lays on the ground besides the speakers, arms resting underneath his head as he soaks up the vibrations. He looks over at Luther who’s lying on his bed, his position matching Klaus’s, and laughs at the sight. Klaus has gotten so used to seeing the _much_ larger and older Luther, and here Klaus is sitting next to the younger version of his brother—as he too, is also in his thirteen-year-old self’s body. He never saw anything this _trippy_ , even while stoned out of his mind. And he’s enjoying it stone sober.

 **_~ “When the working_ **  
**_When the working day is done_ **  
**_Oh, when the working day is done, oh girl_ **  
**_Girls, they wanna have fun!” ~_ **

The room slightly shakes with the booming sound, but it creates its _own_ little pocket world.

Luther lets the music wash over him as he did before, but besides dancing, he followed Klaus’s orders to just listen and _feel_ the vibrations. And as he looks down at his brothers’ younger body, his eyes closed and head bopping along to the music—well, it’s a sight to see and it’s a new one at that. Luther’s never done _this_ before, especially with one of his siblings and so far, it’s pretty _fun_.

 **_~ “They just wanna, they just wanna_ **  
**_They just wanna, they just wanna, oh girls_ **  
**_Girls just want to have fun!” ~_ **

Multiple pairs of feet run up the stairs and to Luther’s room, the music having been heard downstairs.

Luther is startled by the door being burst open while Klaus waves the hand—that if he was older, would’ve said ‘Hello’—in greeting to whoever is at the door.

With her hand on the door knob, Allison stares with eyes wide at the scene before her. There lies her two brothers—whom she can’t even remember hanging out with one another their first time— _hanging_ out and listening to cheesy 80’s pop music together.

“Y-You couldn’t have picked a better song Klaus?” Diego laughs through his stutter, as he too, is taken back by the sight.

Klaus grins as he gets up with his eyes still closed and turns down the music, “This song was selected by no other than our good ole’ brother Luther. He has one hell of a music selection!” Compliments Klaus as he opens his eyes.

Luther turns a deeper shade of red from when they barged in, “I, uh, it’s good?” Luther manages to get out.

“What were you two doing?” Asks Ben, smiling at Klaus and Luther.

“I thought of a wonderfully brilliant way to get us all to talk together, and Luther here,” Klaus says as he points at Luther, “As I’ve already said, has lovely music and… an _even_ better sound system.”

Amused, Five looks over at Luther with a sly smirk, “How did he manage to convince you that this was a good idea, Pogo could always say something to Reginald.”

Sitting up straighter on his bed Luther looks back at Five and the others—yet still avoiding direct eye contact with his sisters, “We needed to talk, and I didn’t think you’d guys would really listen if I asked.”

“You’d be right,” Snickers Diego, earning an elbow to the side from Ben, “Hey!”

Ignoring her brothers, Allison looks to Vanya before looking back at Luther and Klaus, “Well, we’re here now, what did you want to say?” She asks.

Luther opens his mouth, but Klaus is the one to talk, “Close that door behind you and we’ll get started.”

Everyone besides Ben gives Klaus a questioning look, but they still do what he asked and Vanya’s the one that closes it.

“Now come on in—Luther may they enter into your humble abode?” Klaus asks even though they’re already in his room with the door closed—but it is Klaus.

But some of his siblings sometimes didn’t get that, but still rolled with the punches—like Luther, “Uh… Yeah, um you can sit wherever you can,” Luther continues.

Luther shuffles closer to his pillow allowing more access to whoever wants to sit—no one does take it, but Luther doesn’t take any offense. Klaus remains where next to the speakers, where music still softly plays. Ben sits next to Klaus—even though they haven’t been on speaking terms in two weeks, Ben still cares for Klaus and he can only hope for the same. Allison sits down on the floor next to Luther’s bed and gently grabs Vanya’s arm and directs her to sit next to her. Diego sits directly in front of Klaus and Ben, while Five remains standing, but holds his distance from his siblings.

If the music wasn’t softly playing in the background, the room would’ve been plummeted into an uncomfortable silence. The seven Hargreeves siblings only speaking with their eyes and body language. Their eyes kept darting around the room and over each one their brothers or sisters, arms were crossed with stress or unease or lax with ignorance or a false serenity.

When the vinyl ended, and the room was engulfed in silence, but it wasn’t before, long before one of them spoke up.

Amazingly, it was Vanya who decided to be the one to start their already delayed, yet much need group discussion.

“We’re in some deep shit, aren’t we?” She asks to no one in particular, her question being one more of a rhetorical one.

It's quiet before Five begins chuckling humorlessly, “Yeah, we are.”

“But we can fix that, can’t we?”  

Five turns to Ben and gives him a look of uncertainty. Ben mumbles something under his breath and shakes his head, “You said that my death could be a fixed point.”

“You told him he’s going to die again?” Gasps Klaus, eyes darting from Ben to Five.

“Yes,” Five replies, waving hand to stop whatever Klaus what going to say next, “But I also said that one of us dying—not _just_ Ben—could be a fixed point.”

“But we know what’s going to happen next, we’ve already lived through this before,” Points out Luther.

“We can change things without really meaning to,” Begins Allison, “Five was saying that we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen next, we could already have changed something by just being here talking.”

Nodding along with what Allison was saying, Five lets her words sink into his sibling minds as he watches a collective realization washed over them.

Seeing how much harder everything just got onto of everything else, everyone looks slightly crestfallen.

“However, with saying that—I believe we can still stop what’s to come in seventeen years,” Five admits, pushing away from the wall and walking over to his siblings before sitting down.

“You mean me ending the world and killing everyone,” Deadpans Vanya, earning a wince from her brothers and sister.

“I-Vanya—I didn’t mean it like that,” Five backtracks, so blatantly and uncharacteristically discomposed it makes him feel and look younger than he already is.

“It’s the truth Five. It was my fault, I ended the world—caused the apocalypse you tried so hard to stop. I-.”

Vanya was cut off as Allison dragged her into a hug, the hard look in her eyes stopping anyone from saying anything else. She makes eye contact with Luther for a second before he looks away, looking truly ashamed for nearly the first time in his life. Allison takes note of that before turning her attention back to her sister.

The rest of them watch as their youngest—even though they’re all the same age, Vanya always felt like the youngest out of all of them—sister curls into Allison’s open arms with muffled heart-wrenching sobs.

“We're going to make things different this time.”

Luther’s voice cuts through Vanya’s soft cries, earning the attention of all his siblings—including Vanya who looks up from Allison for a second before looking down at her hands, tears still running down her cheeks.

“And how are we going to that? You going to tell us what to do again? Because that worked _so_ well the first time,” Huffs Diego, kind of regretting his immediately as they said them.

“Diego-,” Luther says furrowing his brows.

“Can we not argue right now?” Ben chimes in with a deep sigh, before standing up, “We’ve all made mistakes yeah? Five left, I died, and we treated Vanya _and_ each other like shit our whole lives. We came back here to save the world, and that means we _need_ to take the time to save ourselves too, right?”

Ben sits back down after a second, catching Klaus’s eye and impressed curl of the lips making Ben return it with his own smile.

“I won’t leave,” Five starts, “I’ve left before, and it was shit. I won’t leave again.”

“You better not,” Says Vanya with a shaky breath.

“And we won’t let you die again Ben,” Diego say’s his tone implying the promise he’s making. The rest of them agree without hesitation and Ben feels a slight weight disappear from his shoulders.

“And we’ll train you, Vanya, we won’t let dad, or anyone stop us from helping you,” Allison tells Vanya, hugging her sister closer to her, “We won’t leave you behind this time V.”

The silence that follows isn’t one of fear or unease, but it holds one of promise and of change.

“At least it didn’t take one of us dying or disappearing for us to talk to one another.”

“Well, I don't know about y'all, but I wouldn’t be opposed if daddy dearest were to take another one of those permanent naps,” Mused Klaus, earning chuckles from Ben, Allison, Five, and giggles from Vanya. And unsurprisingly Diego with a full-blown laughter, and surprisingly a choked laugh from Luther—which everyone looks at him curiously before he simply shrugs.

They continue with setting down the foundation for what they’re going to do and how doing it without raising suspicion, but they also talk about and joke about other things—things they haven’t been able to talk about since they were thirteen the first time.

Without realizing how much time has passed, the familiar dinner bell travels upstairs and interrupts Ben’s and Five’s conversation about something half of them can’t really understand.

They get up quickly before realizing that their father isn’t there, also realizing how long they’ve been sitting in one place they take their time heading downstairs towards the kitchen.

They’re all glad to be sitting down there, rather than eating in the dining room. They're greeted cheerfully by mom and take their places, they notice that Pogo isn’t around and begin to dig in like nobody’s watching—except for Grace, but she’s always happy to see her children eat her food.

Dinner is fun that night, they talk freely and try to include everyone in on the conversation.

Five lets himself relax more than he has in years, finding most of what his siblings say to be quite amusing.

Diego and Luther only get into one semi-heated argument, but it’s about Diego’s egg-eating habits in the past.

Allison lets herself talk a little about Claire to Ben, only tearing up a little bit before Ben starts to tell her about something Klaus and he did when they were fourteen.

Klaus jokes about everything and anything, making it his mission to get Vanya to crack a smile as many times as he could.

Once dinner ends and they're excused by Grace, they leave the kitchen with smiles on their faces as they return to Luther’s room, playing more random vinyl’s until Pogo finally makes an appearance and reminds them of their curfew.

They all go to bed that night with a lighter feeling. They all have their own crushing guilt or panic, but that night it seems that they could handle it a little bit better they have been.

After two weeks of nothing within this timeline, and over fifteen years of dysfunctional family dynamics in their first life. They’re starting to feel a change, the beginnings of something new and possibly better. It's different, but hopefully it’s a _good_ different.

They’ve changed one thing so far—they’re talking, they’re enjoying one another’s presence.

The seven Hargreeves siblings are acting like a semi-normal family for what seems like the first time in two timelines.

They’re changing things, and they hope they can change _even_ more.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to be the most happiest chapters for a while... So, oof.  
> Please give kudos, or leave a comment as they make my day! See Y'all next time!


	3. Chapter Two: Customizing Loyalties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With being back in the past for a month, it gets harder to change things and still be able to be a family at the end of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied a tiny bit about things not being happy for the next few chapters, things are going to be okay for the next few chapters. 
> 
> Enjoy!

They’ve been in back in time for a whole month when their father calls them together and announces that they’re to be receiving their official umbrella academy tattoo’s the next day.

“You’re to be here exactly after your morning meal tomorrow,” Sir Reginald states, “I can’t let you out on mission’s until I know the world can recognize you through every possible aspect.”

They all found out in the first weeks back that in this timeline they’ve yet to stop their first bank robbery that launched them into stardom. It’s both a relief and a curse that they haven’t been on any missions so far.

A relief because it means that they’ve had the time to make further plans and help Vanya.

But, a curse because the more they’re at home they’re training, listening to pre-recorded lessons, training some more, having to listen to Sir Reginald’s disappointed tone drone on and on…until oh yeah, more training.  

Reginald dismisses the children with the wave of his hand, leaving Pogo to direct them toward the training chambers.

Vanya watches from behind the living room doorway. She makes eye contact with some of her siblings before they disappear from her sight, the one’s who do make contact give her an apologetic look before leaving her alone with her thoughts.

A part of her wishes she could be training along with the others, wishes that she had as good of control over her powers as her siblings did.

They’ve been training her whenever they could without being caught, Five, Allison, and Diego helping her out the most.

As Klaus himself has been dealing with his newfound powers and recent life of sobriety. Ben still getting back into having his corporeal body again—monsters inside and all.

And they all agreed they probably weren’t the best fit to help train Vanya then.

Yet with Luther…

Vanya still couldn’t trust Luther, though she knows he’s taking the first couple of steps of separating himself from strictly living under their father’s command. She’s still reminded of the betrayal she felt when she realized Luther _wasn’t_ just hugging her. When she woke up locked up like a dangerous animal, her worst fears came flooding back to her seemingly tearing her apart from the inside.

Since she’s been _slowly_ coming off her meds—her siblings and her, worried that cutting cold turkey would do something disastrous. Vanya’s been training ever so slightly, and even after a month of on and off again training sessions she’s shown little to no-progress in controlling her powers or even being able to manifest them without a near meltdown.

And sometimes theirs a voice that reminds her of all the terrible things her siblings have done to her all her life. How if she can’t learn to currently use her powers their going to put her on the meds again—or even worse lock her up and rumor her back to mundanity.

When that happens, she has to take a deep breath and look over to her siblings faces, smiles appearing on them more often than not. She reminds herself that they wouldn’t do that again, they promised her that. They owe it to her not to lie again—especially Luther, who’s already standing on thin ice with Vanya and the trust she has for her family. 

“Number Seven,” Said her father, making her jump suddenly at his voice. Vanya turns to look at Sir Reginald with an expressionless mask, “Have you’ve completed your daily studies?” He asks with an emotionless mask of his own.

“Yes sir, I have them ready to be turned in when asked to.”

Vanya stares forward past her father as he hums, and looks at her with squinted eyes, “Have you been taking your medication Number Seven?” He suddenly questions.

Taking the question in stride, only faltering a little bit as she nods, “Everyday twice a day, once before breakfast and again after dinner.”

Reginald hums again, satisfied by her answer he dismisses her to her room. Vanya nods again and takes her time going to her room, feeling her fathers’ eyes on her back the whole way, but not at all concerned about it.

Because Vanya already _knows_ how much control she has when it comes to their father.

* * *

 

Training goes well into the late afternoon, Pogo having had left after two hours of observing the children’s behavior for Sir.

After Pogo leaves them unintended, they stop training _as_ intensely, but still train just in case their father is watching them on his extensive “home movie” set-up.

Previously attempting to meditate before utterly failing and giving up, Klaus finds himself siting criss-cross on a wrestling mat. Arms rested on his knees and head in hands, he watches as Allison and Diego spar with one another—Allison winning of course, much to Diego’s surprise.

Luther runs along on a treadmill, lifting weights simultaneously—he’s still an overachiever and still trains like he has something to prove.

Ben helps Five practice doing jumps while still holding onto objects, handing the other boy? man?, An orange or a tennis ball—Five having failed less than half of his attempts.

It’s no wonder he couldn’t get anywhere with his meditating. Between the laughter and the occasional hit that Allison or Diego takes from one another, Luther’s treadmill, and Five’s nearly never-ending jumps. It’s really no surprise that Klaus gave up as fast as he did.

Thinking of ways that he could try to relax enough, the first thing that comes to mind has something to do with stealing a bottle from their dad’s liquor cabinet and hiding out in his room till dinner. And as tempting as it is, Klaus shakes his head and slaps his cheeks a bit to stopping himself from continuing that train of thought of his past habits.

But… if it helps him relax enough to be able to meditate—

As if reading minds was his brothers’ _actual_ power, Ben looks over at Klaus with a knowing look in his eye.

Damn psychic brother who’s not actually a psychic.

Klaus sighs and rolls his eyes at Ben—who smiles at him like he just won a three-week long event for debate club—and stands up brushing off the non-existent dust on his school boy shorts.

He decides his next bet is to go off and find Vanya and hopefully find her playing the violin, he’s always loved music as it came a close second to drugs and booze as a way to block out the world.

Klaus gives a quick two-finger salute to Ben and his other distracted siblings before strolling out of the training room and off on his own personal mission to find Vanya and not get caught ditching.

Even though he doubted Pogo or mom would stop him—they always liked it when one of them took the time to talk to Vanya—Klaus masks his fear of running into his father. Because if their father loved anything more than having complete control over others, it was his own training schedules he created every month.  

Yet Klaus risked getting caught. She was their little sister after all—catastrophic uncontrollable powers or not—she’s still more of a family member than their "father" could ever be.

* * *

 

Hearing a rhythmic knock on her door, Vanya stops playing her violin and sets it down before knocking back their planned code. She smiles wildly knowing that one of her siblings has ditched training just to hangout with her.

The door opens, revealing Klaus on the other side. He wears a similar smile to Vanya’s, as he to, is glad to see his sister looking as happy as she can be.

“Klaus!” Vanya exclaims cheerfully, grabbing her brother’s wrist and dragging him further into her tiny room with surprising strength.

Giggling at Vanya’s demeanor, Klaus lets himself be moved from the doorway by his sister. Settling down on her floor while Vanya closed the door—minimizing the risk of their father finding out about their recent arrangement.

Even though, Klaus sought out Vanya to try and relax with. They all unconsciously started coming up and hanging out with Vanya when their father's training regime becomes too much. Then, once realizing how much enjoyment they gain from those little breaks—even Vanya who was nearly left alone by her sibling most of her life the first time—they start to consciously come up, giving a mini one-on-one training session or just coming up to see what she’s up too.

“Sweet little Vanya, what have you’ve been practicing today?” Asked Klaus, leaning his head on Vanya’s bed.

“Uh, a little something of my own. I-I haven’t really been practicing too much,” Vanya replies shyly, picking up her instrument before sitting down onto her bed, cautious of Klaus’s head.

“Mm hmm,” Hums Klaus, as he looks up at Vanya, “You know, I’ve been missing your wonderful violin sounds playing in the background of this place.”

“Really?” Vanya asks, sounding a little unsure.

“Of course!” Klaus blurts, “You were my favorite musician growing up. Not saying you aren’t one of them now but take no offense when I say that as I got older I gained _more_ favorite musicians.” He continues, giving Vanya a semi-cocky smirk.

Vanya laughs, “Klaus, me even being _one_ of your favorite musicians is good enough for me.”

“Well, Van you’re still near the top of the list!”

“I’m honored Klaus,” Vanya says, her voiced laced with sarcasm. She moves from her seat on her bed and onto the floor next to Klaus as she brings her violin down with her, setting it on her lap.

Earning a mock gasp from Klaus, she rolls her eyes and knocks her shoulder against his, “Did you come up here just to hear me play?”

“Yes and no,” He says, “Yes, because you’re an amazing musician and listening to you play makes me kinda want to sleep—but in a good way I pinky promise.”

“And the other reason?” Vanya asks, already messing with her violin strings.

“You can only watch Diego get his ass beaten by Allison so many times before it’s more sad than funny.”

“Really? I thought Diego was the best at hand-to-hand combat out of all of you?” She questions, resting her violin against her shoulder.

“He normally is, but I think the tattoo thing is getting to him—not that he’d ever admit it, the emotional stunted man child,” Klaus tells her, relaying his own observations from the training session.

“Needles?” She asks, plucking certain strings.

“Yeah, he still hates them,” Klaus sighed wistfully, the sigh holding more emotion then Klaus was portraying.

Vanya offers Klaus a small smile, quickly receiving one in return she begins to play a piece she’s been writing since before Five came back.

Klaus closes his eyes and lets his talented sister’s music sooth his overly active mind and the ghosts that come with it—both actual ones and emotional ones.

Seeing Klaus’s breathing even, eyes closed and looking completely at ease, Vanya’s thankful that something has come out of her training—even if it’s just learning to trust herself and her violin again.

Because of seeing her brother so relaxed without the use of drugs and alcohol—her ordinary talents being the cause of it… well it feels like it’s not _just_ that ordinary.

And now that Vanya _knows_ she had powers, _nothing_ she does ever again is going to be _just_ ordinary.

It’s going to be _extraordinary_.

And if Five teleport's into her room later, landing on her bed his mouth open and ready to complain— only to find Vanya and Klaus asleep on the floor. Vanya’s violin laying next to right as she’s tucked into Klaus’s side, her head resting on her brothers’ shoulder, and his head resting upon Vanya’s.

And if Five puts away Vanya’s violin safely back into its case, grabs a blanket and tosses it over the two of them, then teleporting out of room, pulling on his cuff-links and walking off like nothing ever happened.

And whoever could’ve saw him were both asleep, so did what he’s best at and left no witnesses.  

But he did leave a witness, his not quite asleep brother who now has a whole new appreciation for Five—and a good use of black mail If it ever came down to it.

* * *

 

The next morning, they all wake up with a sense of foreboding and resentment.

They all went to bed the night before staring at their blank left wrist, knowing that less in twenty-hour hours it’ll no longer be like that for the rest of their lives. They didn’t really think too much about it the first time until after they had it done, the umbrella academy logo forever etched onto their skin.

It’s like they’re a cattle of livestock, branded only to show who they belong to.

Luther after his near-death experience and his new hairy situation, the tattoo was constantly covered by layers of clothes and hair. It was forgotten about until he’d catch a glimpse of it every once and a while. Even on while on the moon Luther questioned his father’s reasons for giving his children tattoo’s so young, but he’d justify it with some semi-reasonable excuse and forget all about it again.

Diego always disliked the tattoo even when he was young, and as he got older he started to _hate_ the damned thing. When he was in the police academy, he foolishly let it be seen by the other cadets, instantly revealing his past identity to the others. Until Diego was kicked out of the police academy, he was known as _‘one of those freak umbrella kids’_ which may or not been the reason why he was kicked out in the first place.

Allison made hers into an accessory to her fashion during the height of her acting career. Walking down the red carpet, dressed in a one of a kind custom dress that would drag gorgeously behind her, her umbrella academy tattoo would stand out just enough to be seen but easily forgotten. Allison when younger thought it was cool being only thirteen and already having a tattoo, but when her daughter, Claire, would ask her about it she could only think how _pointless_ it was now that she was older.

Klaus didn’t particularly like that tattoo both in his youth and later on in his life. Though the tattoo did encourage him to get more as he got older, so when he turned twenty, he already had a couple scattered across his body. When he turned twenty-seven he spent some of his money on two hand tattoos’, the pain not at all bad due to how doped up he already was. Klaus remembers staying with a tattoo artist for a week or two, picking up on some of the stuff—yet, when he was asked about the umbrella on his wrist he simply shrugged before offhandedly making a joke as he pulled down his coat sleeve to cover it.

Five, the first time they all got tattoos was _nervous_ about it. Nervous about the pain or it turning out bad, he saw how both Allison and Klaus started crying half-way and wouldn’t stop even after it was all over. When it was his turn it wasn’t as bad as he expected, but he still didn’t like seeing something so _gaudy_ on his previously blank wrist. Then when Five traveled in time to the apocalyptic future, running home screaming his brothers and sisters’ names only to find four lifeless bodies all with the same tattoo as his… the tattoo remained only as a mocking reminder of what he’d lost.

Ben always hated the tattoo, hated the pain that came with it once he got it, hated the look of it and hated that even when he died every other mark on his body disappeared _except_ for the tattoo. He would watch from the sidelines whenever Klaus got a new tattoo, either complementing it or making fun of it the next morning depending on how sober Klaus was. Ben felt slightly envious of a lot of things Klaus did, like being alive for one—and the other was that Klaus could always get more tattoos to forget about the one they both shared. While Ben was stuck with the one we always hated.

Vanya never got the tattoo her sister and brothers all got. She occasionally would draw with permanent markers the identical symbols the other all bare, wanting just once to fit in with her siblings. Her jealousy balanced out as she aged, but she never did get any tattoos of her own. Vanya would create her own design, set up an appointment and would stand outside of a tattoo shop, but something always stopped her from doing the final step of _actually_ getting one.

Once they finish their typical morning habits, they all end up in the kitchen around the same time. Grace is at the stove cooking breakfast, sweetly humming her own little song as she does. All but Diego are sitting at the table looking at one another in concern the longer their last brother doesn’t show up.

Grace sets down their food in front of them her programmed smile faltering slightly as she sees an empty chair. She blinks a couple of times before her smile returns full force, she tips her head curiously at the children, “Oh, I see Diego is not quite up yet.”

“I bet he’s fine mom,” Luther tells her, looking at his other siblings, “I just think he’s a little nervous about today—we all are.”

The other sibling nod along with what Luther says. Even though this will be the second time they’ve received their tattoos, it seems that that the idea hasn’t gotten easier for any of them. 

“If you want mom,” Allison says earning Grace’s attention, “You can go check up on him while we eat?” She offers.

Their mom stops, and they can all watch as she processes Allison’s question before an even bigger smile plays across her perfect cherry red lips, “I shall go do that then, enjoy your meal children,” She cheerfully bids as she leaves the kitchen.

As soon as Grace leaves the kitchen, Allison clears her throat to gain her sibling’s attention, “I have a plan.”

* * *

 

Diego’s already awake and has been awake longer than all his siblings. For the past four hours he’s been laying on his back—fully dressed—or has been pacing back and forth quietly. He curses his shaky hands and anxiousness, embarrassed by himself because he was _never_ this _scared_ the first time he got his tattoo. Sure, it hurt, and yeah, he hated needles, but he wasn’t this _terrified_.

So, when he hears a quiet knock on his door before his mom enters, he jumps nearly a foot off the ground before falling to the ground on numb legs.

Grace’s smile immediately falls off her face and she falls onto her knees in front of him, Diego backs away from her suddenly as he crestfallen expression brings back the guilt he felt when he _killed her_ — _he killed her, he killed his mom because he didn’t know what else to do like the scared little boy he is. Now he can’t breathe and she’s there **alive**_ _and looking almost afraid, andohmygodhekilledher—_

“Diego dear, you have to start breathing for me,” Grace tells him as she wraps him into a hug.

Diego lets himself be cradled into his mothers’ arms, his trembling hands gripping tightly onto her apron. He starts to follow Grace’s calm, yet forceful command, as every breath he skips feels like he’s drowning.

“That’s so good Diego, just keep breathing and everything will be alright.”

“M-M-Mom I-I-I—,” He croaks.

“Shh, you’re fine just take a deep breath and picture the words in your head,” Grace softly advises him.

Diego takes a deep, shuddering breath, “M-Mom I’m s-so sorry,” He gets out.

Grace smiles, “About what dear?”

That question makes Diego stop for a second, his whirling thoughts halting like an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object—and that’s just what Diego needed.

Diego hasn’t killed his mom in this timeline, hasn’t seen what Vanya’s powers can do and destroy—their mom is still alive, he’s thirteen again and his mom his holding him in her arms like she could protect him from anything.

With these realizations, he lets go of Grace’s apron and returns her hug. Pushing away his previous panic of what’s to come in the next hour as he lets himself have this comfort, have this forgiveness that this Grace gives, but doesn’t even know that she does.

“Are you ready to go down and join your brothers and sisters for the rest of breakfast?” Grace calmly asks him.

“Y-Yes mom,” Answers Diego, as he pulls away from his mother with a small smile on his face.

“Wonderful.”

Diego stands up first on slightly shaky legs as he offers his hand to help of his mom, Grace takes it and smiles kindly at him.

He leaves the room behind one worry, but walks forward to face another.

* * *

 

“So, any questions?” Allison asks.

The kitchen is silent for a second before everyone starts talking over one another.

“How are you going to get the guy alone?”

“Don’t you think that dad’s going to find out about this?”

“What happens if you say the wrong thing?”

“You think Reginald is just going to give up that easily?”

“Do you really think that we can do this?”

“Whoa, what did I walk into?” Diego laughs as he enters the kitchen with mom.

Suddenly everyone’s attention switches from Allison—including Allison herself—to a flush cheeked, and disheveled Diego.

Diego ignores the confused and concerned gazes from Klaus, Ben, and Vanya—the only siblings who’ve seemed to pick up on Diego’s recent unease—and sits down at the one empty seat.

The room goes quiet again beside the occasional scrape of the Diego’s fork, and the resumed humming of mom. The seven siblings speak silently with their eyes and body language; Allison, who keeps shooting looks at Luther and Five, trying to get one of them to speak up. Klaus, who nudges Ben, who in return nudges Diego, making Diego look at the two with a slight frown. Then Vanya, whose eyes dart between all of her siblings, as she tries to think of a way to inconspicuously start talking about Allison’s plan again.

Then suddenly, Grace’s humming ends abruptly, and she turns around to face her children, am an apologetic smile, “I apologize, but I believe that your father has sent for me. Enjoy the rest of your meal and I will see you all again shortly.”

Their mom gives them all another smile, but for some reason it seems strained in a way. They all watch as she bids them another goodbye and head upstairs without another word.

Diego’s head stays turned at the staircase long after everyone else has turned away, a hand on his shoulder being the only thing that breaks his concentration. He follows the hand to its owner and sees it’s Vanya, offering him a silent ‘ _you okay?’_ with her eyes.

He nods and motions for Vanya to let go rather than to shake it off himself, Vanya thinks that’s an improvement on Diego’s part.

“So, what were you all talking about while I was gone?” Diego questions, continuing to eat his cold but still tasty breakfast.

“Allison came up with a plan to get us out of getting tattooed,” Ben pipes up helpfully.

Diego stops chewing for a second before raising a brow towards Allison, “Really?”

“She believes that she can simply rumor the guy once he gets here,” Five adds, he very hesitant on acting upon his sister’s not-so planned out plan.

“I _know_ that my plan will work Five, we just have to work together to accomplish it,” Allison answers.

She still gets hesitant looks and more brows are raised by her siblings, Allison sighs and lets her fork fall from her hand, it clatters loudly against her plate, “I don’t want this tattoo, and I think you all agree with me but are too chicken shit to do anything about it. We came here to change things, why can’t we change this little thing too?”

“I agree with you Allison, I really do, but what if your plan fails somehow and it messes up our original mission. I don’t think we can go back in time again,” Luther points out.

“Can we go back again?” Klaus whisper yells to Five, in which Five turns to him with a narrowed eye and a scoff playing on his lips.

“No, we can’t Klaus. Unless, you’re up for risking the planet and time as we know it,” Five offers as he crosses his arms across his chest.

“Nah, I’m good, was just asking for a friend,” Klaus prattles with a wink, as he leans back, his chair balancing on his two hind legs.

Allison groans.

“Look,” Vanya starts, “If one of us causes a distraction for dad, and the rest of your do damage control as Allison rumors the guy it could all work out,” she proposes.

“Who’d willingly be willing to distract dad?” Diego scoffs.

“I would,” Vanya admits.

“Vanya—no, we can’t risk him catching on to you,” Allison argues, now completely rethinking her plan.

“I could do it,” Offers Luther.

“Of course, you’d want to do it,” Mumbles Diego, not expecting Luther to hear it.

“What does that mean Diego?” Luther presses, furrowing his brows in irritation.

“Nothing man, really,” Diego says raising his hands in a non-intimidating gesture, “Besides, you still striving to be Number One in _both_ lifetimes,” he continues unhelpfully.

Luther growls, now full on glaring at his brother, “But I _am_ Number One.”

“Guys!” Ben yells, “Shut up, we’re almost done with breakfast and I’d really rather not get this tattoo,” Huffs Ben.

Luther and Diego turn away from one another, both mumbling under their breath like their literal children again and not like their actual age thirty years old.

“Good, thank you Ben,” Allison, thanks smiling at Ben, “Now, are we doing this plan or not?”

A series of yes’s are said and Allison nods at all her siblings, her eyes landing on Vanya’s, “If you really think your're able to distract dad then you can Vanya, I-we believe in you.”

Vanya’s mouth falls open in surprise, but she quickly closes it as she nods, “Thank you, I won’t let you guy’s down,” She says looking at everyone’s thankful yet nervous expressions, her eyes landing on Diego’s as she can see the beginning of relief within his eyes.

“Do hope this goes well, I’m so not for dear dad’s lectures on top of getting that hideous tattoo again,” Cringes Klaus, earning laughs from around the table, “I’m serious, if we all have to live yet another lifetime with those tramp stamp equivalents I’m going to actually start crying.”

“I’ll cry with you Klaus,” Says Ben, patting his brother on the shoulder.

“Thank you, Ben, this is why you’re my favorite,” Klaus says.

Vanya gives Klaus a mock gasp, as to which Klaus responds with “Oh my sweet Vanya, you’re still my favorite _musician_.”

“Good,” Vanya replies, looking oddly pleased.

“What is going on?” Luther asks no one in particular.

“No idea, I’m just going along with it by now—no questions asked, you know what I mean?” Five answers.

“Not really.”

“Children,” Announces Pogo, suddenly standing behind them.

Klaus startles so badly he loses his balance in his chair as it falls backwards—Klaus falling along with it.

“Mr. Klaus are you alright?” Pogo asks, sounding slightly exasperated.

Klaus responds with a thumbs up, as Diego and Luther help him and the chair up. They hear Pogo sigh, but it sounds like he’s holding back his own laughter.

“Your father has sent for you all,” Pogo says, leaning against his cane as he turns to look at Vanya, “He has informed me to tell you Miss Vanya that you’re to be practicing up in your room.”

Vanya nods and everyone forces themselves, not to turn and look at their little sister.

“Come along children, Grace will be down to clean up soon enough,” Pogo tells them.

They all slide out of their chairs before pushing them in behind them, then they all follow Pogo upstairs. Five gives Vanya a comforting squeeze to her arm, giving her enough confidence to continue along with her part of Allison’s plan.

They’re here to change things, so here _is_ something to change.

* * *

 

When they enter the front room, they first see their father standing next to Grace as the tattoo artist sets up his work space.

The man glances at the children before continuing to lay out his supplies, the tattoo needles and gun making Diego feels slightly faint already.

Sir Reginald clears his throat or motions for the children to stand in line by number, Luther at the front and Ben at the back—Vanya anxiously waiting on the top of the stairs.

“These will be your canvas’s for today,” Their father presents, nodding his head in their direction.

The man doesn’t even bat an eye or seems to be too weirded out about tattooing six children. They start to wonder where the hell did their father find this guy? And just how much is he paying this random man to do something so _odd_ , without any obvious moral dilemmas.

“Who’s up first?” The man asks, holding the tattoo gun in his hand and looking apathetic towards them.

Allison begins to take a step forward, but she’s suddenly stopped by Diego as he wraps his hand around her wrist protectively. She shoots him a well-hidden look of confusion and earns a shake of the head, as he moves his hand from her wrist to her hand. Allison realizes just how nervous her brother is, just by the force of Diego’s tremble’s now affecting her.   

The first time they’ve lived through this, Allison volunteered to go first, smiling smugly before getting into the laid-back chair with her arm splayed out—not at all expecting what she got.

She was going to do it again—just to get it over with—but thanks due to Diego’s intervention she remembers their plan, and how big of a role she plays just to make sure everything goes along smoothly.

Sadly, the Hargreeves children never had that much luck in the first place—especially when the deadly concoction of half-planned, plans and emotions came into play.

With Diego’s sudden movements, he gained the attention of their father. Sir Reginald’s monocle reflecting the chandelier light menacingly as he points to Diego with the end of his cane.

“Number Two,” He Barks, making everyone suddenly freeze. The words even stopping Diego’s shaking, “As it seems you’re to be volunteering yourself, will you please take a step forward into the chair.”

Apparently taking too long—Diego hears Reginald shout, “Now, Number Two!” as he claps his hands loudly together. Which gives Diego the motivation to let go of his sister's hand and steps toward the chair.

Diego watches with eyes that don’t feel like his own, as the man begins to sterilize and copy the umbrella tattoo outline. He looks away as he feels a presence by his side and nearly lets out a relieved sigh to see it was Grace, with a very strained smile. He hears the tattoo gun aggressively start to buzz, and instantly latches his hand onto his mother’s—not letting go of her hand this time when their father makes a displeased sound and looks upon him with disappointment.

He wasn’t trying to prove himself of anything this time around. He didn’t care if his father saw this as a weakness, or if this gained him some kind of punishment. He didn’t mind if his sibling’s saw him as a lesser man or as a coward. Because he knew that none of that really mattered to him as much as holding his mom’s hand as he relived one of his worst memories.

Diego clenches his eyes as he hears the gun get closer and closer, the buzz of it makes him almost nauseous. He vaguely hears his sibling's worried whispers and hushed curses, Diego Distantly hears hurried footsteps and a familiar cry—

“I’m s-so sorry dad, I swear I didn’t mean too—I really, really do!” Barges in Vanya, holding her violin closely to her chest.

The buzzing stops and suddenly Diego feels like he can breathe again—but, his relief is short lived as his attempt to get out of the chair has him suddenly on the floor unconscious.

Grace in on him, checking him over not even a second later—not even needing Reginald to command her.

Vanya looks down at Diego before looking back up at her severely disappointed father, “I d-don’t know how it happened, but—.”

“Oh, just show me already Number Seven!” Shouts Reginald swiping it out of Vanya’s arms. The violin’s neck is completely snapped off the body, it dangles off by the remaining stings still connected to the rest of it.

“What did you do with it? How did it end up like this?” Demands her father, treating the violin gentler than anything she’s ever seen him.

“Sir, I have to take Diego back to the infirmary,” Grace interrupts, supporting one side of Diego’s while Pogo has the other.

Reginald blinks for a couple of seconds before deciding on what to say, “Who?”

“Number Two, father, he fainted,” Luther answers.

“Yes, yes, do whatever you need to do with him, I’ll talk with him later,” Reginald offhandedly responds.

Grace and Pogo bid their goodbyes and reassurances to the rest of the children before turning away towards the infirmary with an unconscious Diego.              

The rest of them stand watching nervously between Vanya and their father. Allison’s eyes make her way to the tattoo man and takes note of a crack in the man’s previous façade.

“I r-really didn’t mean to, I h-have no idea what happened. I was just prating a-and suddenly—I have no idea what happened, I’m s-so sorry,” Babbles Vanya as a few tears escape her eyes.

Their father takes one long look at the violin before looking down at Vanya, an unmistakable look of anger in his eyes paired with a deep frown. He holds what’s left of the violin in one hand as he not-so-kindly grabs Vanya’s upper arm, “Come along Number Seven,” He commands before turning to look at the tattoo artist, “I will return shortly, do withhold until I return.”

The man jerkily nods and without another word, Sir Reginald leave the room, dragging Vanya along with him. Vanya smiles brightly at her siblings as she passes by them, silently telling them that she’s going to be alright.

They still had a plan, and even though they were down both Vanya _and_ Diego.

The rest of them were ready for the next steps within their plan.

The tattoo artist looks at the rest of them, they all seeing what looks like hesitance on what’s to happen next. He turns around, his back facing them as he messes around with his supplies. 

Allison turns to her siblings and receives a nod in response.

It’s go time.

She steps out of line and taps on the man’s shoulder, he quickly turns to look at her, “Yes?”

“ **I heard a rumor...that you hate tattooing children,** ” Allison tells him, leaning into his ear.

The familiar white sheen that glazes over his eyes, it disappears as quickly as it came, leaving the man looking down at the tattoo gun in his hand and to the rest of the children.

“I-uh, what am I doing? I shouldn’t be doing this,” Shuttered the man, looking like he’s about to cry at the implication of tattooing them.

“ **I heard a rumor...you never wanted to do this job in the first place,** ” She continues.

“I-I didn’t,” Says the man once the white washes over his eyes again.

“ **I heard a rumor...that you left this place and told everyone you know how awful it was.** ”

Suddenly, as Allison says the last syllable, the man is frantically cleaning up his mess, leaving almost all of his supplies as he starts to bolt out of the house, running into Sir Reginald on his way out.

“Now where do you think you’re going!” Yells their father, as Allison quickly gets back into line as Klaus and Ben quickly gives her a hug, and Five and Luther give her a thumbs up.

The man doesn’t respond to Reginald as he bolts out of the front doors like a madman, leaving all of them open as proof to his abrupt departure.

“Why did he leave? Did any of _you_ do anything?” Their father accuses, looking at Klaus most intently.

“No, no dad,” Starts Luther taking a step-in front of Klaus, directing his father’s attention onto him rather than Klaus, “The he suddenly became agitated and ran off, he was already gone before any of us could stop him,” Luther answers, as he walks between the thin line of what is the truth and what’s not.

Reginald gives Luther another long look, where under his furrowed brows, his eyes searching for any sign of lying. Seeing none, he backs away from the children and adjusts his monocle and his suit sleeves before turning away from them.  

“You are all dismissed,” Their father announces, “I expect you all to continue your training as always, as I’ll need to find a replacement to make up for this dreadful… predicament.”

Sir Reginald leaves them alone in the front room without another word.

Then a minute later enters Vanya, looking very proud of herself.

“Vanya, you did so good!” Cheered Klaus, wrapping his lanky arms around her, “You’re a much better actress than you let on.”

“What did he say to you?” Five asks, looking at Vanya up and down trying to see if anything’s different.

“Nothing more than what I’m used to,” Answers Vanya with a hesitant smile, “Is Diego okay?”

The five of them look at one another with a slight grimace, “We haven’t seen him since mom and Pogo took him to the infirmary,” Ben admits.

“We should go check on him,” Says Allison, “The plan wasn’t supposed to go like that, and I haven’t seen Diego freak like that since we were thirteen the first time,” She sadly points out, as she starts to head towards the infirmary.

“Wait, what about training. Won’t dad find out about not doing what he says?” Luther asks.

“Would you really go train rather then come with us to check on our own brother?” Replies Five, looking at Luther curiously as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

“No, but—.”

“Look Luther, we’re going to check on Diego whether or not you come with,” Allison tells him, “But we’d liked it if you did, he is your brother too. And without his and Vanya’s impromptu distraction we’d be in that chair again, getting tattoos.”

“I-.”

“C’mon Luth, just come with us and chill for a Sec alright? We’d just fucking changed the future—we can take a break,” Klaus adds.

Luther simply nods his head, “Alright, yeah.”

Klaus claps his hands together, “Great! Now, I’ll meet up with you all in a second,” He continues as he looks back at the tattoo artists abandoned supplies.

“Wait, where are you going?” Questioned Ben, worriedly looking at Klaus.

“Nowhere, my dear Benny—I promise, I’ll be right in the infirmary with you, faster than you can say ‘I see dead people’,” Promises Klaus with a wink.

Ben nearly starts cackling.

“We’ll be with Diego,” Allison tells Klaus, looking amused.

“I know, I know—and if he’s awake before I get there tell him I’m the one who caught him.”

“He’d never believe that,” Scoffs Luther.

“Shh, I saved his life twice, I’ll have you know,” Klaus replies.

“You’ve saved him _one_ time, _I_ saved him the other time,” Points out Ben.

Klaus just hisses at his brother.

“Okay, we’re leaving now—see you Klaus, have fun with… whatever you’re going to do,” Allison says, grabbing Ben’s and Luther’s arms, leaving Vanya and Five to follow on their own accord.

Klaus waves them off dramatically—even though he’s been sober for longer than a month, Klaus is still simply just _Klaus_.

Klaus turns on his heels back towards the discarded tattoo gun and ink, before shoving what he can in his arms and quickly rushing upstairs and up into his room.

Lifting the grilled vent cover out of his floor—his favorite place, besides inside pillows and stuffed animals where he’d hide his stash—and shoved what he could fit in there without it being too suspicious and hides the rest under his mattress. Not the most original places to hide stuff, but Klaus had a promise to keep as he rushed downstairs to meet with the rest of his siblings.

He had a great idea for the tattoo gun, and Klaus couldn’t even pray for him wanting his siblings to think the same thing.

But, he’d have to wait until later.

They already changed one thing just because they could. So, why not change it again, but for the better?

* * *

 

It’s been a couple of weeks since Reginald’s first attempt at getting them tattoos. Ever since then, whenever their father somehow manages to find a willing tattoo artist, they quickly make do with scaring them off. Either with Allison simply rumoring them, or with one of the others saying or doing something—which works well enough too, seeing that their father is already bad news within the underground tattoo community.

When they visited Diego in the infirmary—after their first success—they caught him up on what he missed.

“I owe you one,” Said Diego to Vanya, soundly disinterested. But as they all looked at him, they could see how impressed he was and how thankful he truly was.

 

* * *

Now, six of them standing at the back of a bank. Within is the robbery that launched them into stardom, they all wait for a second before rushing inside for a second time.

Vanya stands on the roof of a distant building. Bundled up in a coat that mom had given her, Vanya stands side by side next to her father as he completely disregards her existence.

Sir Reginald looks through his bronze monocular, watching as the rest of his children intrude on the commotion occurring within the bank.

“Will they be alright?” Vanya speaks up, “Why couldn’t I go with them?” She adds, just to be safe.

“We’ve been through this before, Number Seven,” Reginald says after a minute of police sirens and helicopter blades pollute the cities silence, “I’m afraid there’s just nothing special about you.”

Vanya, has to bite down on her tongue to physically stop herself from calling him out right then and there. A metallic taste invades her mouth and she quietly clears her throat before simply saying a disappointed and saddened, “Oh.”

Reginald collapses the monocular and finally turns to look at Vanya, “You’ll stay here Number Seven, for I’ll return later with the rest of your siblings before we return home.”

Vanya wordlessly nods, and Reginald walks off with a scoff, leaving her alone on a chilly rooftop. From what she remembers from the first time, it was a near four hours before she got to go home.

She hopes it doesn’t take that long this time—as her hands and legs are already starting to feel the effects of the cold.

Vanya sits on the graveled roof with her back leaning against the ledge. The coat mom gave her offering the only warmth she can receive besides her own body heat.

She really wishes her family will come sooner than last time—they have too…

Right?

 

 

After their interview with the press, them standing pretty for all the world to see—they’ve managed to get away earlier than the first time, the question’s and their father's answers feeling all too repetitive. And seeing that they’ve already been in the past a little less than two months, this is really the first time where Déjà vu seems to overwhelm them.

As their father escorts them back into their car, they all realize that they’re missing someone.

“Father, where’s Number Seven?” Five questions, directing an all too sweet smile toward Sir Reginald.

“Oh yes, I forgot—Driver do stop at the next corner,” Coached their father, making the six of them look at one another in confusion.

The driver agrees from the front seat, a second later he pulls into the next parking space.

“Now, If any of you are up to fetching Number Seven, she is hopefully still on the roof,” Their father admits, “I do believe some could retrieve her faster than others,” Reginald says, his tone making his statement more into a challenge than anything.

When no one jumps for the bait, Sir Reginald shakes his head and sighs, “Recover Number Seven within Five minutes and you’ll all receive a short-term break from your schedules.”

“And if we don’t?” Says Ben before he could stop himself.

“Then your most recent training is clearly flawed and is in much need of an update.”

They all swallow a lump the lump in their throat at the hidden threat. Nodding silently as a response, their father dismisses them from the car.

They all exit the car and enter what looks like an old and abandoned office building.

“Do you think that Vanya’s really up there? Or is this just another ploy to get us to train?” Diego asks, turning to look at the rest of his siblings.

“Either way I’m still going up there,” Allison declares.

“We’re all going. If she’s up there, we have no idea why or how long it’s been, she must be feeling kinda shitty,” Firmly states Klaus, his glassy eyes betraying his masked confidence.

“Who could get up there the fastest?” Luther questions.

“Me for sure. I can jump up there and back down again faster than It’ll take any of you to even get up there,” Chimes in Five, “No offense,” He adds.

“You think you’re ready for jumping with another person again?” Cautioned Ben.

“You think that jumping with one-person verses six—while traveling through time—is harder?”

“No.”

“Well then.”

Then suddenly there’s five of them left standing by a flight of stairs.

“How much time do we have left?” Asks Klaus.

“Three minutes,” Diego Answers.

“That’s enough time to get us half-way up, right?” Ben questions.

“Definitely enough time,” Allison responds.

“So, we’re going after them?” Guesses Luther.

“Yes.”

Then they’re off, running up the stairs like it’s a typical timed training session—except there’s more at stake than just their father’s disappointment and punishments.

Instead, it’s their sister who’s been left and forgotten so many times already. 

 

When Five appears on the roof, the first thing he notices is the cold nipping at his skin.

The next is Vanya who’s looking up at him like he’s a ghost.

“Shit t-took you long e-enough,” Vanya tries to joke, but the cold made her teeth chatter.

Even though he’s concerned, Five lets himself let out a chuckle, “Yeah, our old man held us up.”

Vanya stands up and walks towards Five on semi-frozen legs, “Last time it took four hours for Reginald to remember about me,” She admits, “It hasn’t even been an hour and you’re here.”

Five blinks his eyes as muddled memories of the past comes to light. He remembers how—the first time the stopped the robbery—they went straight home afterwards, basking in their glory and adrenaline, but as Five looks back on it, he couldn’t remember seeing Vanya until much later in the day, shaking and looking all too _ordinary._

“Shit,” Five says wanting to slap himself.

Seeing his dilemma, she takes a step forward and puts her hand on his arm, “Are the others downstairs?” Asks Vanya.

Flinching away from Vanya’s touch, Five curses himself again and reaches out for his sister's hand, “Yeah, they’re waiting for us—also all this getting you is timed so you better be okay with jumping along with me.”

“Are you ready for something like that?”

Five scoffs, “You and Ben sound so alike sometimes, it’s almost uncanny.”

“It’s not a bad thing Five,” Says Vanya.

“Of course not, now shut up and hold on.”

And with a tightening its grip onto Five’s hand the two of them are gone in a whoosh.

Allison, Ben, Diego, Klaus, and Luther find themselves a quarter of the way up before they’re suddenly face to face with an exhausted Five and a gagging Vanya.

“Are you two alright?” Allison exclaims loudly, causing Five to hold up his index finger as a sign to wait.

“A-Are you alright Ben?” Vanya gasps, seeing her brother covered in blood.

“Yeah completely! This isn’t mine,” Replies Ben, trying to soothe Vanya.

“Oh, good,” Vanya says, relief in her tone.

“How much time left?” Five questions, finally speaking up.    

“One minute,” Responds Diego, “We should start running, you two up for that?”

“Doesn’t matter, we’ll catch our breath later,” Vanya answers for the both Five and herself, as she grabs Five’s sleeve and begins to lead them all down the stairs.

When they get to back to the car, they were out of breath and slightly sweating, but they’re still proud of themselves because when they did get back, they still had three seconds to spare.

Sir Reginald rolls down his window and looks at them all disapprovingly before unlocking the car doors.

They pile into the back without saying a word and stay like that until they get home.

But they all know how different things are now. They all know and see just how good of a team they truly are now—all _seven_ of them.

* * *

 

After three weeks of what seems like constant missions, they all are rewarded a ‘break’ by their father.  But what their father really calls a ‘break’ is used as a debriefing period, where he locks himself in his office and occasionally calls in the siblings, one-by-one, writing down individual responses from each of them.

They used to call these kinds of breaks, “Spring Breaks” as they normally happened in the beginning of spring. And even though their father was still in the house, they still would sneak out or steal some of their father’s alcohol and play games.

Yet that was before Five had left, then they didn’t really want to do anything with one another.

However, that was then, and now, they’re all hanging out in Klaus’s room talking about Vanya’s training and their own training improvements.

“You know what I wish we could still get? Tattoo’s,” Allison blurts out, “But not the one dad wanted to us to get, like our own tattoo’s.”

“You can get a tattoo when you’re older. Y’know, like legally?” Informed Diego.

“Yes, I did know that, but thanks. No, I just meant that I wish we could all get the same tattoo that we designed ourselves. Or just get our own little personal tattoo’s to just kinda shove it in dad’s face,” Allison Continues.

“Too bad there isn’t a tattoo artist in town who’d tattoo seven thirteen-year-old's—internationally known teenagers at that,” Klaus remarks, as he starts messing with Allison’s hair.

“Didn’t you have like ten-plus tattoos before we turned back?” Asks Luther, “Besides the ones on your hands and the one dad gave us.”

“I don’t know, I kinda let this one dude use me as a practice canvas a couple of times—but it’s all kind of blurry to be honest—but gosh do I miss my hand tats,” Klaus sniffs, “Definitely going to get those done again.”

“Wait Klaus, that guy you stayed with didn’t he teach you how use a tattoo gun?” Suddenly questioned Ben, “You tattooed your hands yourself, because you wouldn’t let anybody else do it!”

“Wait really?” Vanya asks Klaus.

“Why would you let a guy tattoo you randomly?” Asked Five, looking entirely too unimpressed.

“Could you give us tattoo’s?”

“Shh!” Klaus hisses making the room fall silent, “Yes, I did tattoo my own hands, and y’know how people say if you hurt yourself your pain tolerance is higher? Well, that's a big fucking lie—it still hurt like a bitch. Now, I hope that answered your question, dear Vanya.”

“Yeah, it did,” Replies Vanya.

“Wonderful, to answer your ‘Q’ Five, I did indeed let a man use me as a canvas because at that point as long as he didn’t tattoo a swastika, or another mans penis on me I didn’t give a shit,” Admits Klaus earning a bunch of weird looks or chuckles from around the room.

“And, Allison if you really wanted a tattoo I’d give you one—and that’s only because I know you love me, and I’d feel comfortable knowing that if I messed up you’ll still love me afterwards.”

“Really?” Allison asks again, turning around and looking at Klaus with a serious expression.

“Yes, a hundred percent.”

“Then give me a tattoo right now.”

“Uh, what? Wait, wait, Allison think about this. How is he even going to tattoo you? He doesn’t even have any of the supplies,” Points out Luther.

Klaus gives Luther and the rest of his siblings a sheepish look, “What happens if I’ve come across a tattoo gun or two within these last few weeks.”

“How and why?” Diego says.

“After the first guy came and went, I simply borrowed some of his stuff—,”

“You stole the dude’s shit, you mean,” Ben interrupts, looking at Klaus with a knowing look.

“Maybe—but it’s not like they’re going to come back and grab it, so instead of letting mom simply throw out the junk, I take it and hoard it until the perfect opportunity comes along. Which it did, as our sister wants to get a tattoo done by moi!” Klaus explains.

“So, you’re going to give Allison a tattoo?”

“Sure, why not. It’s been a couple of hard weeks, we need to have a little fun in between,” Responds Klaus already reaching under his mattress and depositing what he’s been accumulating on the floor.

“Allison you think after all we’ve done _not_ to get tattoo’s, you suddenly want to _get_ one?” Diego questions her.

“If it’s not one that’s forced upon me sure,” Simply replies Allison.

“What if dad see’s?” Luther brings up.

Klaus goes over to his vent and grabs the rest of his tattoo supplies before walking back over to his siblings, “We don’t have to tattoo it anywhere super visible, like we can do on her ankle or her side.”

“Ankle sounds good, I want to be able to see it easily.”

“Can I get a tattoo too?”

“Yeah, hey me too!”

Asks Vanya and Ben.

“Wait—are we all going to get tattoo’s by Klaus?” Five questions, raising an eyebrow towards his siblings.

Most of them shrug or look like they're considering it—except for Diego who’s shaking his head.

“I can’t believe this,” Adds Five, face palming.

“Neither can I,” Klaus responds as he finishes setting up the tattoo gun, “Diego, I’m doing to be turning it on right now just as a heads up.”

“Yeah—yeah, just do it man,” Says Diego trying to brush off his fear.

Klaus turns it on and Diego has to fight his urge to flinch, “Luckily, it’s not as loud as it could be,” Klaus say’s helpfully.

Allison rolls up her pajama pants and gets settled into a comfortable position, “I want to get Claire’s name,” She tells Klaus, “Even if I don’t get to ever see her again, I still want to remember her as somebody I love.”

Klaus gives her a lopsided smile and turns back on the gun, advising Allison to hold onto something or someone as the pain isn’t that enjoyable while sober. Allison grabs onto Vanya’s offered hand and rests her head on her on the other.

With one last warning Klaus begins.

* * *

 

As the night progressed deep into the night, surprisingly, no one reminding them of curfew. They all end up with a little personal tattoo of their own on their ankle.

After Allison’s was finished and Klaus was rewarded with a near bone crushing hug, Vanya was the next in line.

Vanya wanted seven simple dots all In a circle, “One for each of us, so that I know that we're in this all together this time,” She said.

Ben got a silhouette of a stereotypical ghost, “It was a big part of my life, being dead. And even though it was shit, I was never really felt alone—sure I had no control over anything, it was better than experiencing nothing but pitch black for fourteen years,” Ben admitted, it making everyone feel subdued until Five suddenly asked for a tattoo.      

Five, just like Allison, wanted the name Delores tattooed.

“You know what they say about getting your girlfriends name tattooed onto you, right?” Klaus teased, but continued the tattoo anyways.

Five, just scoffed and winced—which he’ll never admit he did—and told them:

“If it wasn’t for Delores I probably wouldn’t have survived as long as I did. I always knew it was crazy of me to develop such a connection to an inanimate object, but I loved her and that’s all I really had.”

After Five’s confession and his tattoo having been completed, Luther gets up next and surprises everyone.

“Uh, I want a sun or like a sunrise? Sure, it happens every day—but seeing it every morning kept me being be sane on the moon,” Luther explained, and once it’s done they’ve never seen him smile that big and that genuine.

Diego swallowed down his fears and set himself down next to Klaus as he pulled up his pant leg. He blamed it on peer pressure, but his brother and sister both insisted that he didn’t have to do if he didn’t want to—which made Diego tell them all to shut up and let Klaus do his job.

In the end, Diego gets a crude little knife and threatened them with a real one if any of them laughed.

They did laugh, but promised it wasn’t because of Diego but of what they all just did.

When they asked Klaus if he was going to give himself one too, he said he already did and pulled up his own pajama pant to show the name ‘ _Dave Katz’_ written in fancy cursive handwriting.

Ben and Allison have him a sad smile, as Diego clapped his shoulder in comfort while the others told him it looked beautiful—which Klaus responded with:

“Needed it to be as beautiful as the man it belongs to.”

After Klaus hid away his supplies again, they all stared longingly at their tattoo’s. Them all thinking that this was how they could change something just for themselves and not the whole world.

They replaced the old with something new and wonderful, connecting something from their first time living to their time now.

They all went their separate ways, with three minutes to two am. They all settled into their beds, careful of their new addition to their body. All falling asleep into the best sleep they’ve gotten in weeks.

They didn’t _just_ change something, they changed it _into_ something better.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Diego's fear of needles, I kind of felt like them being tattooed at such a young age might've birthed that fear, and for Klaus knowing how to tattoo, felt very fitting to his character and the random stuff he knows.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed this extra-long chapter, as the next one will be just a little bit shorter!  
> Anyways, please leave kudos or a comment as they literally make my life just a little bit better!


	4. Chapter Three: Tweaking Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they all relive the past, they also have to go through the mission for a second time, them trying to change how things went the first time, but maybe some things can't change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we're getting into some of the hard stuff that's to come. Enjoy! :3c
> 
>  
> 
> (Btw the large chunk that’s all in Italics, is a flashback to a mission, It’ll make more sense when you get there ;))

“If Luther tells me I’m doing something wrong one more time—I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself from telling him to shut up permanently,” Complains Allison flops down onto her bed, smiling once she hears Vanya’s laughter.

“I don’t think dad would be very happy with you if you did,” Vanya says, sitting down next to Allison’s leg.

Allison sighs, “Yeah, even though after everything that’s changed so far, Luther is still fathers favorite. Do you think it’s fate for Luther to be the most loved out of all?”

Vanya leans back onto the bed, making Allison move her legs, giving her sister more space, “I think that Luther can’t quite let go that part of himself, who still needs to look up to dad,” Vanya answers, “Which makes it still kind of hard for me to be around him… but we’ve only been back for three months, there’s time for change.”

Allison hums in agreement before letting out a snort of laughter, making Vanya turn to look at her.

“Who are you laughing at?” Chuckles Vanya. 

“When did you suddenly become the family psychiatrist?” Allison jokes, poking her sister on the shoulder with her slightly sweaty foot.

Vanya slaps at Allison’s foot, with a slightly disgusted look “I didn’t—but I did take some psych classes in college.”

“Was college fun?” Asks Allison, playfully slides her stinky feet near Vanya’s head.

“I went to community—now, can you get your gross feet away from my face?” Laughs Vanya, moving her head away from Allison’s feet, “Or I’m going to do something even worse.”

“Oh, like what?”

With a one swift move from Vanya, Allison ends up with a sock thrown at her, hitting her directly in the face.

“Ack! Oh my god it smells so bad, V!” Exclaims Allison slapping the sock off her face and throwing it in a random direction.

“Oh ho, we came at the best time,” Suddenly speaks up Klaus, causing Vanya and Allison to both jump before turning to look at him.

They realize that Klaus is not alone, as they see Vanya’s sock resting on top of Ben’s head, a resigned expression on his youthful face.

“Oops, sorry Ben,” Apologizes Allison, hiding her smirk behind her hand.

“I think I’m doomed to never be clean,” Admits Ben, shaking off the sock, “Either its blood or my sister’s disgusting socks. I’m always being haunted by dirty laundry.”

Being unable to hide their laughter at the sight of the younger version of their brother complaining about laundry of all things. Allison and Vanya fall back onto the bed as they try to muffle their giggles.

“Yay, sisters!” Klaus cheers as he claps his hands together, “Honestly, I’m not even that upset anymore for you two not inviting me to your little gossip session.”

Vanya and Allison half-heartily roll their eyes at each other, before sitting up off the bed with their legs barely touching the wooden floor beneath them, “So, what do you two need?”

With Allison’s question, the two boys straighten themselves up as their bodies tense, “Dad has a mission,” Ben states with a worried look in his eyes.

“Why didn’t the alarm go off?” Vanya questions, sitting up off the bed a little straighter.

“He didn’t say,” Replies Klaus, looking a little pale, “Dad just said he’ll debrief us once we all get downstairs.”

Realization overcomes Allison as she remembers what happened the first time, “I was really hoping this one wouldn’t happen again,” She sighs tiredly.

“This happened last time?” Asks Vanya, looking at her three siblings with concern and confusion.

Ben simply nods.

“You’ll tell me later?” Vanya concludes, “After you all get back?”

“You bet,” Grinned Klaus, but the attempted reassuring gesture missing its mark by a long shot.

Without saying anything else, Allison slips her shoes back on before following Klaus and Ben out of the room.

Vanya tried to catch any of their eyes, but when she saw how distant they all were—Vanya, wondered what exactly this mission was about, and how come she’s never heard about it before now.

Picking up and putting back on her one sock, she creeps out of Allison’s room and down towards the stairs.  

* * *

 

Considering that it’s been a month and a half after their first mission at the bank, and rather than getting more breaks from training, they’ve been having less and less down time. Meaning less time to train Vanya.  

Vanya’s control has been steadily improving the more and more she practices and believes in herself. With the help of her family, she’s been able to call upon her powers in a more naturally, and with that control there’s less of a mess to clean up. Which is common for Vanya’s powers, as it’s still a powerful destructive force.

But since the near non-stop missions—them going through missions faster due to them already having done it before—they haven’t had time in over a week to check up on Vanya and her development.

Vanya’s started to realize a month back that if she doesn’t release the pressure that builds up her chest, she can’t control herself at _all_. Like she’s some kind a ticking time bomb that’s bound to go off at some point soon. Which scares both Vanya and her siblings, because they can’t lose everything again.

Not when they’ve been working hard to fix things:

Their dynamic.

Their tattoo’s.

Their selves.

Their future.

They’ve only been back for three months out of the seventeen years they have left to save the human race.

And It seems like almost a lifetime away, but in reality, they were living it three months ago.

Which sucked.

Now, when they all gather outside their father’s study—rather than apathetically listening to yet another mission they’ve already done—they all listen intently at their father’s words, seeing if anything about this mission in different than last time.

They all had a mission that broke them at one point in time.

This mission was one of them.

It was the first one that made the superhero life seem, not all that great. Made them realize that they were still children, that they weren’t the only people who mattered, that they weren’t as invincible as they thought they were.

This was the mission that broke Allison—no matter what excuses she used to say that she was ‘okay’—this mission never really left her thoughts.

“The assailant is a low-level threat, yet—he’s taken a local dinner and the people inside as hostages,” Sir Reginald informs them, “The assailant is to be taken down by any force necessary, a minimum number of casualties are highly encouraged.”

The six of them nod in uniform, standing silently before their father until his dismissal.

Luther quickly glances over to Allison, trying to spot any kind of nervousness only to find that her hands are folded behind her back are trembling.

“Number One,” Bellows Sir Reginald, “Please do pay attention when human lives are at stake,” He continues, like he didn’t just say that having some civilian death was more of a chore than anything else.

Yet, instead of saying anything along those lines, Luther just nods again and apologizes.

“This concludes the debrief, you are dismissed for your mission,” Announces their father, giving them one last nod before heading into his study and closing the door behind him loudly.

Since their third mission, their father has been making them find their own way to the crime scene besides having someone drive them.

But, he still picks them up after the deed is done and gives the press a statement before herding them all home for another long debriefing before dinner then after that, bed.

They didn’t understand why their father did something so _strenuous_ the first time, and it _still_ doesn’t make sense the second time around.

After being dismissed, they all quickly change into their suits—grabbing extra supplies they think will change how this mission went last time. All of them going to try every little thing they can—so they don’t fail again.

Allison specifically _can’t_. Not when she knows they can change things.

* * *

 

When they arrive at the scene, the police were already there, setting up their barricades and herding the crowd away from the diner.

The six of them enter the diner once the crowd and the police are distracted, sneaking in through the back they group together in the kitchen. From the other side of the wall, they hear gruff ineligible yelling and screams following.

They all ignore it in the meanwhile as they all look at Allison, them all waiting for her to say something, anything about the mission they all knew had affected her.

Instead, its Five who first speaks up.

“We can’t change this one Ally,” Five says with regret, “We don’t know if stopping them from dying won’t affect _something_ in the future.”

“It _won’t_ change anything,” Allison insists bitterly, as she clenches her fists.

“We _don’t_ know that,” Argues Five, “Even preventing the most unrelated mundane death could possibly mess up everything we’ve been doing!”

“How?” Asks Luther already set on helping Allison with whatever plan she has.

Five grunts quietly, “It _just_ can alright? If we stop this, it could even possibly bring The Commission down upon us again. Do _any_ of you want that to happen again?”

They all remain silent and Five takes that as a yes.

“So, we’re just supposed to let that poor woman die again?” Klaus asks, “We couldn’t just y’know kill him before he grabs her?”

“Were you even listening to what I was just saying?” Says Five, leveling Klaus with a jaded look.

“I was—until you started spewing out stupid things. We can’t just let her die again Five, we’re supposed to be changing things, why can’t we just change this little thing!” Klaus retorts.

“We _can’t_.”

“Yes, we _can_. We can do anything we want.”

“Not this time you _idiot—_ ”

“Klaus, Five. C’mon, stop it,” Interrupts Ben, glaring at his two brothers, “We’re literally about to stop a hostage situation and you two are acting like _children_.”

Five glares at Ben but turns away from Klaus as he straightens himself out. Klaus looks at Ben with a too tight of a smile as he shakes off Five’s insult.

 ** _“If you don’t want her brains blown out, you better sit the fuck back down!”_** Bellows the gunman from the next room, his voice still booming even with a wall between them.

The six of them sigh and look at one another before following along with their original plan:

Take down the gunman.

Save as many hostages as they can.

Then look pretty for the camera.

But they all have a feeling it’s not going to be that simple—not this time. 

Luther, Diego and Allison are first to sneak from the kitchen and into the main dining area, hiding behind the cashier’s counter. Five silently jumps from the kitchen and next to his siblings, while Ben and Klaus staying in the kitchen until needed.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t any of you move! O-Or this chick gets it!” Yells the gunman, his voice much louder than they all remember.

Diego peaks slightly over the top of the counter, quickly taking in the scene before ducking down again.

“Still six hostages—excluding the woman he has now. He’s about eight feet from the entrance, and  five feet from where we are,” Diego tells them very quietly.

“What about the woman?” Allison whispers.

“Put in a choke-hold with a gun to her head. Doesn’t looks like she’s having much fun right now,” Replies Diego.

“Not now, Diego,” Luther chides, “Are we doing the same thing as last time?” He adds.

“Things are already different since we waited longer than we did last time, he already has the girl,” Points out Five.

Allison watches her brothers plan out their next move, listening in to what the man says and the hostage’s cries.

After they completed this mission the first time, Allison couldn’t stop herself from lying awake late at night and thinking about every possible way she could’ve done something different—all the outcomes, all the things she could’ve said rather than what he _did_ say.

It haunted her, all the ways she could’ve saved that woman’s life. It wasn’t her siblings’ fault that one hostage died.

It was _all_ her fault; her words made that woman die, and she couldn’t do anything about it.

Allison always felt like she was the one to pull the trigger, nail the final nail into an innocent woman’s coffin.

Now, she’s reliving her childhood nightmare—they are no longer dreams, but a reality again.

So, she ignores Five’s warnings, her fear and all of her father’s training—       

And abruptly stands up. Letting her presence be known by the man with a gun in his hand.

Spooked by Allison’s sudden appearance, the gunman turns away from the hostages and points his weapon towards her.      

“W-Who the fuck are you?” The gunman demands, his eyes widening once he recognizes just who she is.

Allison doesn’t respond, yet instead she distances herself from the counter and holds up her hands in a non-threatening gesture.

Five, Diego and Luther all look at Allison like’s crazy. Yet, their eyes are wild with fear and confusion.

“Where’s the rest of you? It can’t just be you, it’s never just one of you freaks!” Screeched the gunman, looking crazily around the dinner, the gun never moving from Allison’s direction.

Seeing no point in hiding anymore, Luther, Five and Diego stand up confidently and stand next to Allison, their bodies angled so that Allison’s no longer in shooting range.

The gunman glares at the four of them, his mouth moving as he counts them, “Where are the other two? I know there’s six of you, s-so come out or I’ll shoot!” Shouts out the gunman, moving the gun off them and back to the woman. Which makes Allison’s heart sink.

Soon enough, Ben and Klaus exit the Kitchen’s doors, them closing automatically behind the two of them.

Ben notices the hope swimming within the other hostage’s eyes, like them just being there is going to save the day.

He hopes they _still_ can.

“Man, you really are just a bunch of kids,” Hysterically Laughs the man, his hand on the gun faltering slightly. As the man starts to underestimate the six of them. 

The six of them frown at the man’s deranged behavior, they not having had realized the first time they stopped the gunman.

Another thing they didn’t realize, is how the woman in his arm’s wasn’t even struggling. Even more so, didn’t even look afraid, and if they had to say it like they see it, they would say that she looks almost _bored_.

It seems there is a lot they didn’t see the first time.

“How about you put the gun down and we’ll just talk?” Offers Five with a fake smile, playing along with the man’s obvious nonchalance. Trying to defuse the situation before any of _them_ got hurt in the process.

Five’s words apparently do the opposite, the gunman’s grip tightening once again as he jams the gun back underneath the woman’s chin. The woman still looking disinterested, she’s completely there both physically and mentally. So, why is she so understanding about the situation she’s in?

It hit’s Five that maybe this woman isn’t exactly an innocent victim as they all thought she was.

“I’m not stupid, I know who you all are—I don’t know how you do the things you do, but I’m pretty sure a bullet can stop anyone,” Chuckles the mad gunman.

“So, let’s just talk then? You can keep your gun, but let’s talk, okay?” Allison announces, pushing past her brother’s subconscious shielding.

Allison takes a step forward, only being a couple feet away from the gunman, “Get back!” The man warns, his finger shakily playing with the trigger.

“What are you doing?” Hisses Diego, his fingers itching for a knife.

Allison ignoring Diego takes one more step towards the gunman, his gun still staying off Allison— which is a good sign in her book, “Why are you holding this place hostage?” She asks the man.

Taken back by her question, the man’s finger drops from the trigger, “I need money,” He admits.

“Then why rob a small-town diner? There’s a bank right down the street with _loads_ of cash,” Said Klaus, unable to keep it to himself with his dread deepening with every passing second.

The man’s brow furrows with confusion at Klaus’s words, “Are you trying to give me advice?” He asks.

“No, he isn’t,” Luther answers for Klaus, sending him a disapproving look, “If you let go of the hostages I’m sure the police will make agreements with you.”

“No!” Yells the man suddenly, him tightening his grip around the woman, her expression changing to one—not of fear—but of _annoyance_.

“Why not?” Allison pushes, taking another step forward.

“I-I need them—need her,” He says, gesturing to the woman in his arms with the gun.

“Do you know her?” Five calmly asks, making everyone but Allison look at him oddly.

“N-No,” Quickly responds the man, his eyes frantically moving from them to the hostage.

“Yes, you do,” Five says with a smile that shows too much teeth, “What? Was she a girlfriend of yours? Maybe current? Would make sense why you robbed this place rather than anywhere else, _she_ works here,” Edges Five.

It takes them a second to realize that Five might be right, as they realize that woman is wearing the diner’s logo on her shirt—just like the other waitress who’s crying her eyes out on the floor.

The man pales and begins to shake his head aggressively back and forth, mumbling illegibly under his breath.

The woman in his hold sighs before comfortably leaning against the man’s chest, ignorant to the man’s apparent break down, “Honey, let’s just give it up—”

“NO!” Suddenly screams.

Then time seems to go sluggishly slow for the six Hargreeves children—scaring Five as his first conclusion is the arrival of The Handler—but no, it’s simply just because so many things happen that they can’t comprehend.

First, the gunman throws the woman aside, she roughly hits the ground as she shouts out the gunman’s name: “Nick!”

Secondly, the gunman lurches forward. Crossing the space left between Allison and himself, before roughly dragging Allison back with him.

Thirdly, the gunman rams the tip of his gun into Allison’s head, the action stopping any words from coming out of Allison’s mouth.

Allison had considered this possibility when she would lay awake at night. Thinking what she could’ve done differently. It wasn’t her favorite idea, as it was the only outcome she could think of that ended up with her dying and the woman living—which wasn’t too bad as an outcome compared to her other ponderings.

When she was younger, she tried to bury this mission under makeup and narcissism. Allison, never wanting to directly be the reason why an innocent person died.

But, now, the woman who she used to dream of saving, isn’t so innocent after all… So, going against her childish daydreams, Allison doesn’t feel up to dying for her the second time around.

“Nick, Nick this wasn’t the plan, C’mon babe we can still get out of this,” Begs the woman with false tears in her eyes, the same eyes who show no sympathy or fear for his new hostage.

“Shut the fuck up Annie!” Loudly screams Nick, his grip on the gun increasing with every passing moment.

“Babe—”

“SHUT UP!”

Then, as soon as his finger brushes the trigger—the safety off—and makes a sudden jerky movement towards Annie—

Nick’s suddenly met with a knife, the blade deeply imbedded right between his eyes. His grip on both the gun and Allison ceases. It entirely non-existent as he falls dead onto the floor next to his screaming girlfriend.

Allison stands in shock, her eyes blinking fast and her hands clammy. She starts to sway for a second before being caught by Luther and a terrified looking Ben.

Diego’s hand remains in the air, his eyes still focused to where Nick was previously standing. He stays like that until he feels a hand on his shoulder, knocking him out of his stupor.

He jerks around and sees Klaus, a very small smile on his face as his real emotions hidden behind his mask. Diego looks past Klaus and see’s Five looking upon them with a grimace.

They’ve all killed before—some more than others—killed to defend. To win. To protect.

Yet, this mission, _this_ time—it’s different somehow, and they don’t quite know what to do next.

Annie’s screams become sobs, as she cradles Nick’s head into her lap. And with the six Hargreeves’s attention being elsewhere, they don’t see her grab Nick’s gun and tucks it under her shirt.

Luther let’s Ben take over watching Allison as he turns to the rest of the hostages and tells them they’re free to leave—his voice not quite holding the usual bravado when he talks to the public.

When the hostages leave, the cops pour in after them with their gun’s out, but pointed towards the floor.       

Allison distantly hears Luther and Diego talking to the police, it’s weird that she realizes then that they don’t normally talk to the local enforcement—they really should more often, even though they just see them as a bunch of kids, they still are open to helping them when they need it.

Sir Reginald typically does the talking—both to the police and the press until they all return home. But their father isn’t there right then, he isn’t the one clearing thing up with the police and talking to the public. Luther and Diego are, and they’re doing just as good a job as their father could’ve done.

Their father isn’t there.

And Allison’s glad that he isn’t.

“She’s in on it?” Asks the detective, looking surprised as a still weeping Annie bats away the other officers helping hands away.

“She probably was the one who planned it,” Diego admits, “Or at the very least, already knew about the plan beforehand.”

The detective hums thoughtfully and turns to look back at Annie, “Alright, we’ll take her in for questioning,” Agrees the older man.

As the detective turns away from Diego and Luther, and motions to the other officers to cuff the woman, Annie begins to seriously fight back against the officers trying to apprehend her.

Luther and Diego go back over to stand with the rest of their siblings, “You—uh, okay?” Awkwardly asks Diego looking at Allison.

Allison shakes her head and chuckles, “I should be asking _you_ that.”

Diego shrugs and avoids any eye contact with any of his siblings, “It’s not like I haven’t done it before,” he assured.

“Still...,” Begins Allison, before shaking her head again, “Just thank you Diego. I didn’t know what I was thinking getting so close to that guy.”

“You were thinking how you could stop him without her dying,” Ben says, “You didn’t want her to die again.”

Klaus lets out a choked laugh, attracting the attention of his siblings, “What? She’s currently being arrested!”

They all turn to look at Annie, her still fighting the cop’s even as one of her hands is already cuffed.

“She wasn’t so innocent after all, makes you kinda wonder what else we missed the first time we went through this rodeo,” Continues Klaus, making the rest of them become lost in their thoughts.  

Then, with a high-pitched battle cry, and a gun being fired off—they snap out of it.

They quickly turn to look at Annie, their eye’s widening once they see the gun in her hand and a police man laying on the ground with a hand clamped around his heavily bleeding leg.

With another screech from Annie, they suddenly see that her gun is now pointed at them, more specifically pointed right at Allison.

“This is all your fault you little bitch!” Screams Annie, finger on the trigger and murder in her eyes.

Annie pulls the trigger and time seems to slow down again.

The detective points his gun and fires.

Allison feel’s herself being pushed to the ground and sees the rest of her sibling’s duck.

There’s a cry of pain and cut off scream.

Then it’s silent.

 When the world resumes at its normal pace, Annie’s lying dead on the ground with a rapidly growing puddle of blood underneath her.

The detective stands with his gun still pointed at Annie’s body, his breath coming out in short pants.

Allison opens her eyes, not realizing that she closed them in the first place and spots the rest of her siblings on the ground next to her.

There’s a grunt of pain coming from Allison’s right, and she quickly gets up to see what’s wrong.

“Diego man, you never said being shot sucks this bad,” Klaus laughs with a grimace, wincing once he attempts to sit up.

“You idiot!” Shouts Ben being the first to reach Klaus’s side.

Allison’s eyes widen as Ben holds his hand over Klaus’s applying more pressure to the wound on his arm, “Holy shit, you just took a bullet for me,” Allison deadpan’s, her expression not quite settling on just one emotion.

“Yeah, he did, like a complete moron,” Diego grunts, helping Klaus up off the floor with Ben and Allison hovering around him closely.

“Was he just supposed to let Allison get shot?” Luther scowled.

“Of course not!” Diego replies with look of disgust.

“Then—”

“Shut up the both of you,” Interrupts Five, “We should be fucking thankful that none of us are going home in a body bag.”

“If god wouldn’t let me stay dead the first time, I really, _really_ doubt she’d let me stay dead this time,” Cackled Klaus, his words making everyone but Ben, frown in confusion.

“Okay… so, clearly you’re experiencing blood loss, great,” Sarcastically says Diego, wiping off Klaus’s blood on his schoolboy shorts.      

EMT’s and more police officers enter the diner, the detective directing them to Nick and Annie’s bodies.

The detective holsters his gun, and as he hears pained yelp coming from the Hargreeves’s children, he quickly orders the other officers to check with the hostages and the EMT’s. Once the officers leave, the detective walks over to the children.

“Are all of you alright? She fired a shot, did it hit any of you?” Questions the detective, his sudden presence, making the six children jump slightly before them all turning to look at him with emotionless expressions.

“We’re fine,” Said Luther, standing in front of Klaus, the last thing they want is for the man in front of them to raise a fuss, “Thank you for your help today, detective…?”

“Detective Patch!” Calls out a young officer, the name causing Diego to flinch, “Sir Hargreeves is here.”

“Excuse me,” Says Detective Patch giving the children one last glance before leaving to talk to their father.

They watch as their father enters the diner, not even sparing a glance at the bodies on the floor and the detective as he motions for the children to follow him out of the diner. Sir Reginald’s disappointed expression being seen even from across the room.

The six of them shuffle out of the diner and into the car, their father pushing past the press with lies and a tight smile on his face.

Once they return home, they’re subjected to the full force of Sir Reginald’s disappointment having spent the first hour and half of their debriefing being scolded by their father. Then after that, another hour of retelling every little thing that occurred during the mission.

It took nearly three hours for them to be finally dismissed, only for all of them to be sent to their room’s until dinner as a punishment.

Ben and Diego try to tell their father of Klaus’s injury, but, Sir Reginald stops them mid-sentence every time. Insisting that whatever is wrong with Klaus can wait until their punishment is completed.

As their father dismisses them one last time, they all glare at the back of his head until Sir Reginald shuts himself inside his study without another word.

Pogo stands behind them with a frown on his face, but still herds the children to their bedrooms just as Sir asked of him.

Unknowing of Vanya’s presence since their arrival back to the academy, she watches with tears in her eyes and a pressure in her chest as she watches her siblings be treated so unfairly by the man who’s supposed to be their _father_.

It takes all the control she’s been learning not to just blow Sir Reginald’s door right off its hinges and show their _father_ exactly just what Vanya’s powers can _really_ do.

She stops herself, because she knows how far they’ve come, how much they’ve sacrificed just to come back here and change things—to save the world and Vanya _herself_. So, she can’t let them down now, not even though she can feel her power whirling around within her like a powerful tornado about to level a town.

She can’t let all their efforts go to waste—not now, not when they’re just starting to get somewhere.

So, Vanya shakes her head and forces away the tears before returning to her room. She shuts the door behind herself without even touching it and reaches for her newly-mended violin and begins to play as loudly as she dares.

She needed her music right then. Vanya could almost _feel_ that her sibling needed it to.

And Vanya was right, they did.

 

 

 

When they’re finally released from their rooms, the dinner bell ringing breaks the silence that enthralled the house after Vanya was told to quit playing.

It took one time asking, another one demanding then finally, Sir Reginald takes away Vanya’s violin to finally stop her from playing for her siblings.

Once the bell stops ringing, is when the all exit their rooms. Them all thanking Vanya for the music before quickly checking in on Klaus. Which only leads to Klaus waving off their concern with a fleeting smile as he pushes past them all before they can even take a closer look at him.

When the rest of them get to the dining room, they see their paler-than-usually brother standing behind his seat. They all try to catch his eye—Allison reaches out to touch him—but nothing works as their father enters the room.

Grace pulls back Sir Reginald’s chair seconds after his arrival, “You may sit,” Announces their father as he settles into his seat.

All but Klaus hesitates to sit down, mostly because Klaus’s couldn’t quite keep himself standing.

“You may sit,” Sternly repeats their father, finally making the rest of them sit down in their seats simultaneously, “Now eat,” He adds as he picks up his fork and knife.

The sound of clattering utensils and metal scraping on ceramic plates, the dinner table is silent—which is rare for their meal times as normally there’s a recorded lecture disturbing the silence.

Dinner continues rather silently, everyone too afraid to even chew too loudly as they’re worried the slightest thing could set off their father again like they did earlier in the day.

With the seven of them mostly pushing around their food, rather than eat it. Dinner seems to go on longer than usual. They can almost feel one another’s gaze, their eyes meeting eyes before quickly dropping down to their plate.

Midway through, the sound of a shattering glass makes everyone look up from their barely-eaten food to where the sound had come from.

Klaus went to pick up his glass of water, but couldn’t stop his wounded arm from suddenly going from a numb throbbing to an excruciatingly painful stabbing sensation. He dropped the cup onto the ground, as his arm no longer was willing to do what Klaus wanted it to do.

“Number Four what is the meaning of this?” Demanded Sir Reginald, a scowl on his face as he looks down on Klaus.

“Arm…hurts,” Gasps Klaus, cradling his arm close to his chest.

“Grace!” Shouts their father.

They all watch as Grace, gracefully walks to the dinner table, then towards Klaus, her smile on her face quickly turning into a frown as she spots the obvious pain etched onto Klaus’s face and the growing blood spot on Klaus’s jacket sleeve.

“Does the boy need the infirmary?” Their father asks nonchalantly, like the possibility of a serious injury inflicted upon his own child is similar as to talking about the weather.

Grace takes one last long look at Klaus before turning to Sir with a rare grimace, “I do believe that would be for the best, may I take him?”

“Yes, and bring his plate with him, I expect him to eat it,” Agrees their father before addressing the rest of them, “As I expect for Number Four to finish his dinner, I do expect the same as the rest of you.”

They all nod in response before making more of an attempt to eat. Grace slowly helps up Klaus, grabbing his plate at the same time before whisking him off to the infirmary. The other six risks taking a glance at Klaus, they catch what looked like tears slipping down their brothers’ cheeks. They began to feel a sudden sickness in their stomachs and a feeling that could only be compared to a rock being thrown at your chest.

Allison feels the sickest of all, her guilt nearly strangling her as the lump in her throat continues to grow and grow into a heinous monster. She eats her dinner and ignores how everything tastes, like bitter ash, she ignores the glances her siblings send at her now that Klaus is gone. Allison asks herself why she didn’t move away from the gun herself? Why she didn’t just rumor Annie or Nick before any of it happened? Why she didn’t just follow the original plan?

Why did she still feel bad about Annie’s death?

Allison used to think of all the possible ways she could’ve saved Annie’s life—Now, all she’s thinking about what she could’ve done to have saved Klaus from the pain he’s currently facing.

When did she become such a _coward_?

 

             

When they’re finally excused from dinner and allowed their break-time before curfew, they all rush over to where Klaus was sent to. As they open the doors, they’re met face to face with shocked looking Pogo. Before they can even get a glimpse of Klaus, Pogo escorts them away from the infirmary with a frown on his face.

“Are we not allowed to see Klaus?” Asked Ben, trying to sneak a peek past Pogo’s shoulder as the advanced chimp closes the doors behind him.

“Is Klaus alright?”

“Did dad say we can’t see him?”

“Why can’t we go see what’s wrong?”

Pogo sighs and visibly deflate before them all, making them all cut down on the questioning, “Mr. Klaus _is,_ and is going to _be_ fine. You can expect him out before bed, your mother is just finishing up his stitches.”

They too all visibly deflate at the news, “Why can’t we go in and see him now?” Repeats Allison, wanting to see her brother alive and healthy with her own two eyes.

“Your mother made it quite clear that she expected full privacy with Klaus—even your father is being excluded from seeing your brother before he’s restored back to full health,” Answers Pogo.

“So, we can expect him out soon?” Asks Five, “He was grazed by the bullet, right?”

“Perhaps. I do not extensively know of your brother’s injury,” Pogo admits, “But in due time your brother will be released. Why don’t you all wait in the living area, I do believe it won’t take long before Klaus meets with you all again.”

They let Pogo lead them back to the living room, leaving them shortly after as he’s off doing something for Sir Reginald.

Sitting on the various couches for what feels like hours, but, has only been a singular hour—they all wait and watch for any sign of Klaus.

Shortly after the clock chimes, a light set of footsteps are heard coming towards the living room. They all turn to one another and dart from the couches only to find a slightly less-pale looking Klaus wearing a sling with a heavily bandaged upper arm. They look in surprise at Klaus’s much more extensive injury, before them all nearly laughing at Klaus’s extremely displeased expression.

“It’s like being shot by an emotionally imbalanced woman trying to kill us is just not enough,” Huffs Klaus with a pout, “But on top of all that, I just _had_ to have broken the same fucking arm by just falling on it.”

Klaus looks at them all and spots the very badly hidden amusement in his siblings’ eyes, “C’mon, just laugh already, hell I’ve been laughing about it too,” Laughs Klaus.

“You really shouldn’t be. You were _actually_ shot today, like you had a full-blown bullet _inside_ you,” Points out Luther.

“Well, when you put it that way it sounds kinda _dirty_ ,” Hums Klaus, pushing past them to throw himself onto the couch.

Luther lets out a choked-out sound as the others follow Klaus back into the living room. Either sitting down next to him or crowding around him. They all watch his every little move at with obvious concern.  

 “I’m completely _fine,_ ” Reassures Klaus, seeing his families pained expressions, “I’m just lucky to be ambidextrous. Do any of you know how hard it is to jack—,”

“Please don’t finish that sentence or I’m kicking you off the couch—I don’t care if you’re already injured I never want to hear you finish that sentence,” Diego declared as he glares down at Klaus.

“We shouldn’t try to hurt him more than he already is. You don’t kick a man while he’s already down,” Says Ben as he attempts to keep a straight face. 

“Even if said man is actually both physically _and_ mentally a boy who nearly scared the shit out of all us?” Allison contributes with no heat, her hand finding itself in Klaus’s unruly hair.

“What exactly happened?” Suddenly asks Vanya, making everyone remember that _‘oh yeah’_ Vanya wasn’t there with them, “I heard only a little bit before and after you all returned from the mission, but what actually _happened_?” She adds.

The six who went all look at one another, thinking of the best way to tell her both about how the mission went both this time and last time.

“It’s a long story,” Five settles on.

Vanya nods but looks like she’s holding back hundreds of questions, “How about we go to Griddy’s?” Suggests Vanya quietly, her suggestion shocking the rest of them into silence.

“We haven’t done that yet, a-and I think we could use a treat after today,” Vanya explains even quieter after no one responds.       

“Is our sweet little Vanya suggesting we sneak out?” Klaus gasps.

“Shut up, ‘m not sweet,” Protests Vanya as she nudges Klaus with her foot.

“It would be pretty gutsy with the old man still here,” Five points out, with an impressed look on his face.

“Griddy’s stays open pretty late though,” Says Diego, remembering to when Griddy’s was shot up by The Commission.    

“This could get us all in a lot of trouble,” Luther reminds them, but doesn’t try to stop or disagree with his siblings.

“I’ll risk it,” Allison admits, a genuine smile appearing on her face.

“Me too, I did miss our night trips,” Adds Ben, thinking back to how they stopped sneaking out once Five disappeared.

“I got some cash we can use, it’s not really going to be used anytime soon,” Offers Klaus with a small smile on his face, trying not to think of what else he could be using the money for.

“D-Does that mean we're really going to sneak out?” Vanya asks her siblings, not believing how easy they all agreed to her suggestion.

“Totally!” Answers Allison, “We going to do what we used to?”

“Why not? It worked last time,” Says Diego, “An hour and twenty-five after curfew, and climb down Five’s fire escape?”

The rest of them nod to Diego’s plan, before hashing out the some more of the finer details.

“Oh, Christ on a cracker I just remembered,” Suddenly gasps Klaus, interrupting what the others were talking about.

“What?” Asked Luther, soundly slightly panicked.

“I’m going to have to wear a hideous cast for three god-dammed months!” Dramatically moans Klaus.

The rest of them blink silently for a couple of seconds before the room erupts in laughter, making Klaus yell over them to why it’s not nice to laugh about him wearing a nasty cast like that for so long.

And as their Pogo enters the room to tell them of their curfew, he lets them live out the moment a little longer before interrupting it.

Pogo didn’t know what was so funny, or what has changed between the seven Hargreeves’s siblings’ dynamic. But, Pogo _did_ know that the children were happier than he’d ever seen them, and he’d do anything in his limited power to keep them like that for as long as he could.

If not for himself, then for _them_.

* * *

Exactly after one hour and twenty-five minutes after they were sent to bed, they all found themselves climbing down Five’s fire escape. Five being the last one down, as he jumped back into his room to lock the window before jumping back out.     

Five jumps off the ladder and turns around to face the rest of his siblings, them all dressed in what little street clothing they owned.

“Do you not have any other outfits?” Diego teases Five, seeing his brother still wearing his academy suit and shorts.

“You think I’d wear the clothes I sleep in?” Retorts Five.

“You seriously don’t have anything else to wear besides your suit and your pajama’s?” Klaus questions, “You could always take some of my clothes, I know you loved my one suit.”

“Uh, yeah, no,” Chuckles Five, “I didn’t.”

“Here just take this,” Says Ben taking off his own hoodie and handing it over to Five.

Five hesitantly takes the hoodie before looking up at Ben curiously, “Won’t you get old?” He asks.

“Nah, I always run pretty hot,” Ben shrugs.

“Just put it on before I put it on for you,” Allison warns Five with a motherly tone.

Five just glares at Allison before slipping off his academy jacket and slipping on the hoodie over his shirt, “You think if I left it by this dumpster it would still be there by the time we got back?” Says Five motioning to the suit jacket in his hand.

“Probably not,” Vanya replies truthfully that same time Klaus says, “Who cares!”

Five shakes his head and tosses the jacket randomly behind him, “Let's get going, I’d really rather not get caught dying in an alleyway.”

They all laugh, but begin to move in the direction of Griddy’s, they all feeling less like the age their consciousness are, and more like the age their bodies are.

 

 

When they arrive at Griddy’s, the little doughnut shop is empty of all—besides the shop’s owner, who greets them with a wide smile as they enter.

They all sit in the largest booth and manage to fit all of them into the benches. Five, Klaus, Allison and Vanya on one side. Then, Diego, Ben and Luther, on the other—Ben unenthusiastic being forced to sit in the middle of his two brothers.

As the little owner lady comes over to their table. It takes Five a second before realizing that the woman was a younger version of Agnes, the same woman who mistaken him as the tow-truck drivers’ kid.

Agnes only looks at them funny, her brows furrowed in thought and confusion at the sight of seven unsupervised kids before taking out her note pad and pen, “What can I get you kids? Some hot chocolate?”

“I’ll take a coffee please,” Five immediately says, “Black.”

Ben not-to sneakily kicks Five under the table, “Thank you,” Adds Five as he glares across the table at Ben.

Agnes looks like she’s about to say something, but stops herself and writes down Five’s order. She looks up from her notepad and glance over the rest of them, “Does anyone else want…coffee?”

“I’ll take some,” Says Vanya, “And uh, also I’ll take a jelly-filled donut?” She adds.

“Sounds great!” Cheerfully replies Agnes, “And for the rest of you?”

“I’ll take a chocolate sprinkled donut please,” Said Ben.

Agnes smiles and nods before pointing her pen towards Klaus and Allison, “And you two?”

“A French cruller, and a glass of milk. Klaus?” Allison says as she looks over at Klaus.

Klaus hums before looking from Allison to Agnes with a surprised expression “Oh, I’ll just take that cup of hot chocolate please—sound much better than coffee,” Answers Klaus.

She gives Klaus a kind smile before turning her attention back to Diego and Luther, “Then what will you two boys have?”

“An old fashion, please and thank you ma’am,” Diego politely says, earning a couple of snickers from his siblings due to him being so courteous.

Agnes laughs for a second before giving Diego a smile that reminds them all of their mom’s smile, “Just call me Agnes dear. Now, do you want it plain or glazed?” She tells Diego.

“P-Plain,” Diego stutters slightly, “Thank you.”

She gives Diego one last look before giving all her attention to Luther, “And you Hon?”

“Um, maybe one of those long one’s—with chocolate?” Describes Luther, not knowing the specific name of the donut.

“Of course! Is that everything?” Agnes asks as she writes the last thing on the notepad.

They all nod and smile back at Agnes, “Great I’ll be right back with your donut’s, coffee and hot chocolate.”

After Agnes leaves them, they all start teasing one another over their order—Diego, Luther and Five getting the brunt of it.

“You’re such a mama’s boy! Every older woman you talk to you get all soft and polite,” Laughs Allison.

“I swear if you call me that again, one of my knives will find you in your sleep,” Diego threatens with flushed cheeks.

“Oh no I’m so afraid,” Sarcastically says Allison.

“You really had to order coffee?” Ben asked Five.

“Vanya ordered coffee too, so I don’t see what you’re trying to say,” Retorts Five, crossing his arms.

“Five to be honest, I think if I didn’t order coffee too, she wouldn’t have made _you_ any,” Vanya admits, earning a loud laugh from Ben.

“The ‘long one’s’ are called a Long John, Lulu. I can’t believe you don’t know this!” Exclaims Klaus, “Thank god she knew what the hell you were talking about.”

“Hey! I think I did a great job describing it, also! I didn’t know I had to know all the kind of donuts that are out there!” Argues Luther.

“Here you kids go!” Agnes suddenly says, ending their heating up conversations, “Now, the coffee and the hot chocolate are super-hot, so be careful with those,” She warns as she hands over the coffee’s to Vanya and Five, and the hot chocolate to Klaus.

The three thank her with small smiles as they slide their drinks closer to themselves.

“And here are your donuts, still fresh and ready to be eaten! Enjoy!” Agnes announces, leaving them once again with a motherly smile.

Five, ignoring the coffee’s current temperature, starts drinking it like it’s nothing. Earning gasps from the rest of the table, “What?”

“Isn’t that like super-hot man?” Diego asks.

“Don’t call me man,” Replies Five, making Diego roll his eyes, “And yes, it is very hot.”

“Then why are you drinking it?” Luther questions.

Five scoffs, “Because I don’t really care?”

“Good point,” Agrees Klaus, who starts drinking his still-hot, hot chocolate.

The rest of them just shrug at their brother’s antics and begins to eat their donuts. Most of them humming in delight at the first bite, as it’s been a long time since they’ve had some of Griddy’s donuts.

Last time they all snuck out and ate at Griddy’s was a couple of weeks before Five left and got stuck in the future. Ben and Vanya tried to get everyone to sneak out again, but everyone else said it just wasn’t the same—and no matter how much Ben and Vanya wanted to think the opposite, they had to eventually agree. They finally stopped asking when, they, themselves began to think the same way.

When they lost Five, that was the first domino to fall. Then they just kept falling, with every little failed mission or argument that came between them… The. Domino’s. Kept. Falling.

Then when Ben died, and the last domino fell…Their ‘family’ was no longer even _that_ , they had nothing— _no one_ keeping them together anymore.

Five was the one who stopped the domino’s from falling. Ben was the one that picked up the domino’s once they fell.

Then It all came down to Vanya, who tried so hard to be _both_. But, she couldn’t not when everyone of her siblings forgot about her in their own grief and trauma.

Now, they’re back before any of the domino’s fell.

Now, they’re back, sneaking out and eating Griddy’s donuts like a family again.  

 

 

“So,” Starts Allison, wiping her hands on a napkin, “You still want to hear about what happened today?”

Vanya takes a sip of her coffee before nodding.

Allison sighs and sets down her napkin, “We should start at the first time we went through this mission.”

Vanya sets down her coffee and settles in between Allison and Five, the rest of them waiting silently as their own memories of the first time going through was resurfacing.

Then sighing deeply once more, Allison begins.

 

_When they got to the local diner, they entered the dinner with little to no plan besides what their father told them._

_“The assailant is to be taken down by any force necessary. A minimum number of casualties are highly encouraged.”_

_They all heard the meaning behind their father’s words. If they could, they were to kill the assailant, save what hostages they could then look pretty in front of the press until they return to the academy._

_They were already used to their father’s strict agenda when it came to their missions, and that mission wasn’t a serious threat. It was just a simple hostage situation, a get in and get out kind of mission—one of the easy ones._

_Once they entered the scene, they quickly took in the scene. The number of hostages, where’s the assailant or possible assailants then quickly plan what’s the best course of action._

_Luther suggested bum rushing the assailant—which Diego quickly disagreed with, saying it was too risky._

_The others suggest other possible ideas to quickly get it over with. The two plans that made the most sense had one that involved Five teleporting behind the man and killing him with his back turned, and the other, involving Diego throwing one of his knives just perfect enough that it would hit the small gap between the assailant and his hostage._

_Then all of a sudden, Allison brought up her plan to rumor the man into just killing himself. She said it was to save them from actually having to stop the man themselves and even better, it wouldn’t put any of the hostages at risk._

_Of course, Luther agrees with Allison’s half-planned plan, and tells everyone to shut up once they all begin to argue that her plan is worse than any of theirs._

_Not because she’d be making a man kill himself, but because Luther didn’t choose one of their plans instead._

_Allison stood up from behind the counter confidently, a cocky smile spanning across her face and a hard gaze targeted towards the assailant as she opens her mouth._

**_“I heard a rumor… you shot yourself in the head.”_ **

_Then the crazed look in his eyes disappeared as white clouds over his eyes, the crazed look being replaced with one of determination._

_If Allison or the others had paid close attention they could’ve seen that the hostage in his arms began to cry and quietly bed the assailant to stop._  

_If Allison or the others had paid more attention to where the hostage was in the assailant’s arms, maybe they would’ve been able to stop what happened next._

_Before Allison or anyone could stop it, the assailant pressed the gun to his temple and fired, the bullet going straight through his…and his hostage's head._

_Instead of one body falling to the floor, two did._

_One guilty and one innocent._

_Or so they thought._

 

 

“Annie wasn’t as innocent as I thought she was,” Allison sniffs, “I tried to fix things this time around, but it seems I only made things worse.”

“Allison—” Starts Vanya.

“Shit,” Wetly laughs Allison, interrupting her sister, “The innocent woman I had thought I had killed was in on the robbery, not just that but shot at us! Shot Klaus! The only thing that I've done right this time was not telling the man to kill himself,” Allison continues, her voice getting quieter and quieter.

“We didn’t know that she was in on it—not back then and even today we barely figured it out. It’s just like how we didn’t know that she was going to try and hurt us,” Ben tries to assure.

“They were supposed to die today,” Five deadpans, making everyone turn their attention to him.

Five drinks the rest of his coffee before continuing, “The two of them were supposed to die, it’s not your fault, Annie died the first time—sure it was on _you_ that Nick shot himself—but it was him that killed Annie. Then today, Nick didn’t have to use you as a hostage—he made that decision—and Annie, she didn’t need to shoot that cop and shoot Klaus,” Points out Five with a straight-face, his face betraying nothing of what he is thinking or feeling.

“The two of them died because of their own stupid decisions, and all of us keep getting involved in their shit,” Five finishes.

The booth stays silent as they all take in what Five is telling them.

Allison tries so hard to believe in what her brother is telling them—telling _her_.

Yet after years and years of telling herself that it was her fault, her fault that an innocent woman died—then even later when she got older and realized that what _she_ made him _do_ was a horrific thing to do to another human being.

Even after today’s events, learning that the innocent woman she dreamt of saving even to the very moment where Annie fired the gun in her direction—Allison still couldn’t believe that it's _not_ her fault.

What breaks the silence that spread had throughout Griddy’s was the shops front door opening and closing loudly. Those who sat with their backs to the shop counter, watch the newcomer as they walk past their booth and up to where Agnes is cleaning the counter.

They hear a gruff man’s voice order a cup of coffee and a plain donut and with the squeak of the shop’s stools under the added weight, they all turn back their attention to one another.

“Can I just say that today was kinda fucked?” Klaus chimes in as he claps his hands together once.

“That’s an understatement,” Scoffs Diego burrowing into his hoodie as he keeps an eye on the newcomer in Griddy’s.

“Is it bad to wish I was there with you guys?” Vanya asks, ripping Allison’s napkin into tiny pieces.

“No…we wished you were there too,” Luther answers surprising Vanya by his sudden honest response.

Allison swallows past the cowardice, that’s lodged in the back of her throat. But before she can even get out a word, the all-too familiar sound of someone cocking a gun ends any chance of a conversation.

From the sound, the seven Hargreeves sibling’s attention turn to the back of the shop, where the once strong but sweet voice of Agnes, is now frail and scared sounding.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave n-now, I don’t have w-what your wanting,” Pleas Agnes, trying to sound serious but failing severely.    

“And I’m telling _you_ lady, that if you don’t clear out the safe for me, you’re going to be some big trouble,” Threatens the guff new comer.

The seven of them look at one another with a mixture of exasperation and worry. Them being annoyed because, of course they couldn’t just have one-night to themselves without running into trouble. And them being worried, because they all actually enjoy Agnes and the idea of her getting hurt because of them not doing anything makes them feel sick to their stomach.

The harsh sound of something hard slamming onto the counter makes the seven of them nearly jump from their seats.

Luther and Diego look at one another and nod, Allison makes a quiet clicking sound from her tongue to earn her brother’s attention, “Let me handle this,” She says confidently before adding, “Please.”

As Luther and Diego look at Allison with an uneasy look, and the others giving her a similar expression. Which Allison takes a deep breath before giving them all a look that’s equivalent to saying, “Let me do this so I can fucking do something right for once”.

Allison’s siblings look at Allison a long time before, Klaus and Vanya begin to move out of the way do Allison can do what she needs to do.

Save the kind of person she dreamt of saving.

As the gruff robber continues to threat Agnes, both verbally and physically. Unknowingly to the both of them, Allison walks up behind the man and with one last side-glance back towards her siblings, she taps on the man’s shoulder with a smile plastered onto her face.

“What do you want?” Demands the gruff man quickly turning around to face Allison. The man’s actions only making Allison feel more in control of the situation.

“Can I see your gun?” She asks, putting on her best harmless expression.

Taken by surprise, the gruff man’s harsh expressing falls, “What?”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“Uh?”

Allison leans into the man’s ear, “ **I heard a rumor…that you gave me your gun.** ”

The man stands motionless for a second before giving Allison his gun, which made Allison’s smile grow wider, “Thank you,” She tells the man.

“What—”

Before the man can finish his sentence, Allison clocks the man in the head with his own weapon, the man instantly falling onto the ground in an unconscious heap. 

“You should probably call the police,” Allison tells Agnes, after a few seconds.    

Griddy’s remained quiet for a couple of seconds as everything catches up to the rest of them, more specifically to Agnes.

 “I-I—”

“Woo-Hoo, you go Ally!” Klaus Cheers, clapping his hands together.

Allison laughs nervously before looking down at the BB gun in her hand, “The gun was fake, just a pellet gun,” She tells her siblings, like that makes what she just did seem unnecessary.

“Thank you,” Agnes tells Allison.

The rest of her siblings leave the booth and go over to where she stands, the first thing they do is give her a hug or something like a hug—even if Diego’s hug/weird shoulder pat is a little awkward, Allison still appreciates the gesture.

“I hope you know that you have to be a little bit mentally unstable to keep putting yourself in front of questionable men with guns,” Five points out, “Not saying that what you just did definitely wasn’t something to see but do hope that you know you can’t keep do this with people with guns.”

“Does she do this often?” Agnes hesitantly asks.                  

“We try not to let her—as it’s mostly his thing,” Ben tells her pointing to Klaus and his arm.

Klaus simply hisses at Ben in response.

“We should start heading home,” Luther says, “Thank you again Agnes,” Luther thanks.

Diego kicks the still unconscious man with his foot, “And again, you should probably call the cops before this dude wakes up,” Advices Diego.

“How much do we owe you?” Vanya asks Agnes.

“Oh—let’s just call it even, you kids did stop a robber for me,” She tells them, “I can’t possibly think of any other way than to give you free donuts—and coffee—for a year I should say. I’d feel better about doing that for you seven since you’ve saved my life tonight.”

“It was just a BB gun,” Allison tells her again, feeling shocked at Agnes’s generosity.

“So, what. A BB gun can still kill somebody—anything can kill somebody, we can use anything as a weapon,” Admits Agnes, nodding her head.

“Um.”

“Well, you children better run home now. Oh, and just know that you're always welcome here at Griddy’s, theirs always a free cup of coffee or donut just for you seven,” Agnes tells them.

Rather than trying to argue again with Agnes’s reward, they gave her their thanks one last time before leaving Griddy’s with smiles upon their faces, Allison’s smile being the biggest.

When they return to the ally outside Five’s fire escape, Five looks for his suit jacket and find it missing, which makes everyone break out into laughter except for Five who’s actually almost upset at his loss.

They hang out in the ally until their laughter completely fades, the seven of them standing out in the dark at whatever o’clock. Five goes up first to unlock his window, and make sure the coast is clear for the rest of them to return to their beds unseen.

Once they're all inside, Five locks back up his window before turning to the rest of his siblings with his hand in his hoodie pockets, “We did well today, and I just wanted to say that I’m proud of all of us.”

“We love you too Five,” Allison says.

Five huffs but doesn’t argue with Allison, “Well, that's all I wanted to say, and I now like for you all to leave my room and go to bed.”

“Will do, little man,” Klaus salutes.

“That doesn’t even make sense—we’re all little now,” Glares Five, pointing out the flaws in Klaus statement.

“Hmm, you’re always going to be a little man to me. Now I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to sleep, Night!” Bids Klaus, quietly leaving Five’s room.

Once Klaus leaves many of the others leave too, giving the rest of them their own bids of Goodnight.

“Goodnight Five, I do hope that coffee doesn’t affect your sleep,” Softly laughs Allison, turning to leave Five’s room.

“Wait,” Calls out Five, “Come here,” He says, holding out his arms rather reluctantly for Allison.

It takes a couple seconds for Allison to realize what Five is offering before she hugs him, “I don’t think you’ve ever hugged me before,” Says Allison.

“You’ve never hugged me before either.”

Allison laughs, “You’re right about that.”

They stay like that until Five can’t handle it anymore and kicks out Allison, but before she completely leaves, Five speaks up, “You’re a good person Allison, don’t let the past get to you as I did.”

Allison freezes at the words and nods her head before bidding Goodnight again to Five.

She may not completely believe that she’s a good person, but she’s getting there.

And if her sibling believes that about her, and she may never fully can—she’s more than okay with that, because she knows that they love her, they love each other because they’re a family.

They’re finally a family again.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always seen Allison as one of the stronger ones of the sibling, but as I rewatched the show (For like a third time) I started seeing Allison's character more clearly and the idea of Allison using her powers for something kind of awful, then well, that idea became this. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please leave kudos or a comment if you want! All of your comments give me joy!


	5. Chapter Four: Transforming Fear-Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing to relive the past, certain fears and experiences come back to haunt but one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to split this chapter into two parts because It was getting too long... Guess I just have a lot to say for Klaus haha.
> 
> Anyways, Enjoy!  
> Also, please don't steal my kneecaps K-Man :/

As their first year back progresses rather mundanely, even though their fame across the world is at its highest, they all don’t care about that so much this time around.

They still do the missions, the rigorous training and having to deal with Sir Reginald every day. They stick as close as they can to the original timeline—to throw off The Commission and to keep their father off their backs—but every once and a while they’ll change something.

They haven’t made any dramatic changes since their tattoo’s and the mission with Annie and Nick, but they’ll make little changes here and there when they can. Either subconsciously or on purpose.

During one of their secret night meetings, they created a list of missions, events, and other important things they could remember from the past.

Five narrowed down the list into two simple categories; _keep_ unchanged and _must _change.

Most of their original list was in the ‘ _keep_ unchanged category, while three were left in ‘ _must_ change’ category.

The three that were in the ‘ _must_ change’ involved Five running away, Ben’s death, and the apocalypse.   

They had all agreed that their mission’s, their training's, and their public interactions must remain the same.

Which, for Klaus meant that his ‘special training’ in the mausoleum would continue to happen this time around. Klaus had let himself think that if his sibling knew about their father’s and his little trips to the mausoleum, they would put a stop to it. That maybe they’d put that in the ‘ _must_ change’ category because they all cared and loved for him…right?

Klaus couldn’t be sure.

He knew that Ben would be on his side and could _definitely_ raise a big fuss about it—possibly blow a tentacle or two over it—but Klaus didn’t believe that it could change _all_ his siblings’ minds if they were to agree to keep Klaus’s ’special training’ a thing.

And Klaus understands if they did.

They’ve been back for nearly six months and for Klaus to ruin all their progress just by changing something ‘big’ because of his silly fear over his powers—he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself and he thinks that his siblings wouldn’t forgive him either.

So, _when—_ not _if_ —their father began sending him to the mausoleum again, Klaus wouldn’t even dare to disobey and run away from what’s to come. He’s been through it before, he can do it again.

Klaus tells himself that he has more control over the ghosts then he’s ever had. That when he’s left alone with all the screaming ghosts he’ll be fine, Klaus will be able to block them out and get through however long his father leaves him in there.

He’s fine with living through it all again—especially if it’s to help his siblings, help the future and even possibly the world. But he’d mostly go through it all again just for his family. Because Klaus couldn’t even _think_ of how his brothers and sisters would feel if they were to fail again.

Klaus can deal with a little ‘special training’, he can deal with the ghosts and their screaming, he can deal with spending hours—almost days—in the pitch black, alone with his thoughts and the unruly spirits.

He’s been doing it since he was ten, when he saw his first ghost and nearly screamed himself raw when the ghostly woman wouldn’t stop screaming _at_ him. He would do it even when it became less training and more of a punishment— _an_ experiment.

Even if he hasn’t been to the mausoleum since he was fourteen—the first time around. Even if he hasn’t been back in _there_ at all in this timeline so far, Klaus knows that he can probably handle it this time—or at least better then he did all the other times.

Klaus is older now, he’s had more control over his powers in _both_ lifetimes, and it’s the most sober he’s been since he was a teenager the first time.

And so, what if some nights he still can’t sleep due to the ghosts demonic screeching echoing through his ears. That his memories of the mausoleum painfully mashing together with his memories of the war into a oh-so tasteful trauma riddled night-terror soup. Klaus is handling it without the help of drugs and alcohol—thriving when he sees the pride in his sibling’s faces when he mention’s it.

And what if he’ll randomly start to blank out during training, missions or during their secret meetings—lost in his own thoughts and urges, by the ghosts that get past his invisible wall he’s made to keep out most of them.

And what if Ben or one of his siblings asks him if he’s okay, their face a mixture of pity, concern and slight annoyance. Which Klaus can only respond with useless commentary or a shitty comeback accompanied with a carefree and dimwitted mask he wears permanently over his own.

And what if he only gets a roll of the eyes in response, Klaus is okay with that.

Because that’s the kind of person he’s made himself out to be—in both lifetimes.

He knows that if he tells anybody else—besides Ben—about what really happened on his little trips with dad. They’d make a big deal about it.

Which, it wasn’t—not anymore. As Klaus has gotten over it.

When he’s to return to the mausoleum, he’ll be fine, and he’ll show their father that he’s no longer afraid. Because if he could change one thing himself—it would to prove to his father that Klaus truly _wasn’t_ afraid, that he’d prove his father _wrong_.

And that’s all Klaus needs to have at the end of the day. He’s okay with his family thinking he’s still their lovable ex-junkie brother, rather than the broken-down man in the form of a thirteen-year-old.

He’s been ready to face his childhood fears since the day they arrived back in time. Even though Klaus had hoped—prayed—that his siblings and him could somehow change his fate, they would.

Klaus had accepted his grim fate with a cheesy smile and a happy-go-lucky guise.

* * *

 

“Can someone remind me why _we’re_ all here?” Asks Five as they all find themselves in the infirmary, the six of them crowded around an excited looking Klaus.

“Because we’re here to support our brother as he gets his cast off,” Ben tells Five, “Also because this means that we won’t be subjected to his whining anymore!” He adds with a shit-eating grin.

“Benjamin that is so rude,” Mock gasps Klaus, looking at his brother in betrayal.

Ben just shrugs, and nobody stops Klaus from hitting him with his good arm.

It’s been three months since Klaus was shot and broke his arm in the process, it had taken almost a week for the swelling went down before mom could apply the cast. Klaus had to beg the others just to sign his pristine cast, and then after a week of him getting the cast he had everybody’s name on it. However, Klaus had woke up one night to find Diego and Ben drawing and writing random things on it.

It wasn’t anything crude or even remotely phallic, but instead it was just awful—just truly terrible—'drawings’. Now, Klaus never thought of his siblings as artists—besides Vanya who was actually _good_ at something artistic—but it had taken a whole permanent marker to cover his brothers ‘masterpieces’.

Klaus couldn’t handle seeing those ‘drawings’ every day.

“Oh, hello children,” Greets their mom in surprise of seeing them all there, “I see that you’re here to support your brother Klaus, how nice,” She says with a smile.

“Yeah, we’re just glad that he’s finally all healed up,” Diego admits as the others agree, them all incapable of lying to Grace.            

“Well, he still should be gentle with it—it’s still healing even after the cast gets taken off,” Informs Grace before turning to face Klaus, “No heavy training or roughhousing, your arm is still fragile.”

“Thanks mom, I’ll make sure I do,” Klaus says honestly, “Will getting the cast off hurt?” He asks as he looks thoughtfully down at his arm.

“No, it just tickles,” Grace tells him as she bops his nose.

Their mom walks away from him and the others, Klaus turning to look at his sibling smugly before all the color in his face drains at the sight of a small buzzsaw in Grace’s hands.

His siblings laugh—some louder than most—at Klaus stricken expression. Even though, they too are also surprised to see their mom with a saw in her hand, it funnier to watch Klaus’s cast get taken off by a saw rather than themselves.

“W-Wait what are you going to do with that?!” Exclaims Klaus, reading himself to jump off the infirmary chair.

“She’s not going to cut off your arm,” Luther tells him.

Klaus scoffs, “I know that.”

“Then why are you so afraid?” Asks Allison with a cat-like grin.

“Maybe because of the actual saw?” Vanya says, backing up Klaus and his understandable fright at the sight of the buzz-saw.

Klaus smiles widely at Vanya before putting his hands together and bowing in thanks.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, it’s not going to hurt you. I’ll make sure of it,” Grace tells him truthfully.

Klaus sighs before settling back down into the chair, his cast laid out in front of him on a nearby table. His siblings’ crowds around his other side, as mom starts up the saw.

At the sound of the buzz-saw turning on, Klaus’s good hand shoots out at latches on somebody’s arm. He hears a surprised gasp but keeps his eyes closed as Grace starts to cut through the cast.

The infirmary is silent of voices as the saw’s buzzing loudly fills the need to talk. Even though it only takes couple of minutes for the cast to be completely cut off, to Klaus it feels like it’s taking hours.

Grace could’ve been faster at cutting though the cast, but she didn’t want to even risk scaring or hurting Klaus.

The saw’s buzzing disappears, and Klaus realizes that the arm he latched onto became a hand. Klaus lets go of whoever’s hand he’d taken hostage, but before he fully pulls back his hand he glances over to his right at see’s a semi-flustered Five glaring back at him.

Klaus winks and Luther has to hold Five back, so he can’t hit their already injured brother. 

“There we go! All finished,” Beamed Grace as she slips off the cast, “How does it feel?”

Klaus flex’s his arm and curls in his fingers, it felt weird to have his arm uncovered and semi-functional after so long. Even with the faint pain that shot down his arm it was still quite freeing, so, Klaus wasn’t going to complain about it, he was fine.

“Feels great, thanks mom,” Klaus lies, but still looks up at Grace with a smile.

“Wonderful! Now as I said earlier, Klaus you can’t be doing anything extreme with your arm quite yet, but in due time you’ll be able to train as hard as the rest of your siblings,” Grace reminds Klaus with a sweet smile.

“Yay training,” Sarcastically says Klaus with jazz hands.

His siblings roll their eyes and Grace, not picking up on the sarcasm, smiles widely at Klaus.

“There’s the optimistic outlook you’ve been missing,” Grace grinned.

“Didn’t take for you to be the optimistic one out of all of us, thought that would be Ben,” Jokes Diego, making Klaus hiss and Ben glare in response.

“Now children I believe it’s time for your studies with Mister Pogo,” Says Grace, making the seven Hargreeves’s withhold a groan, “He’s expecting you in the living room.”

“Thank you, mom, we’ll be right there,” Vanya tells Grace, their mom gives them one last smile before bidding herself good bye and walks out of the infirmary.

Klaus slides off the chair and hides his wince with a loopy curl to the lips, “Well I never want that to happen again.”

“What—break your arm?” Allison asks, “Because I hope you really don’t make this a habit of yours.”

“I second that,” Cuts in Ben.

“I’m not _that_ clumsy. I could’ve been a dancer in a past life,” Klaus Argues as he does a little twirl to prove his point.

Luther laughs, “Technically your past life is _still_ just you,” Points out Luther.

Klaus narrows his eyes and huffs, “Touché.”

“Children?” Announces Pogo knocking on the infirmary doors, the seven of them jump at the sound and quickly turn their heads to look at Pogo, “It’s time for your lessons.”

“Sorry, we were just making sure Klaus was alright,” Allison apologizes.

Pogo nods and turns his attention to Klaus, a concerned expression his face, “Are you alright Mr. Klaus?”

“Hm, oh completely! All healed up and ready to learn,” Klaus answers, with a cheesy smile.

“Okay…um, well if you’ll all meet me in the front room,” Pogo says as he clears his throat, “I’ll be expecting you all shortly.”

Pogo leaves them all with on last curious look as he exits the room. Klaus moves to grab his shirt and academy jacket but can’t hold in his hiss of pain as he does, instantly gaining his sibling’s attentions.

Vanya’s the first to reach him, as she puts her hand on Klaus’s bare shoulder, “You alright, need us to get mom?”

“No, no, just moved a little much for my arm right now. Thinking mom was right with the taking it easy, but I didn’t know putting on my clothes was ‘extreme’.” Klaus admits with a laugh, as he ignores the pain and continues to put on his clothes.

“Did mom, uh ever give you anything…Y’know like medicine?” Asks Diego, uncharacteristically itching the back of his neck awkwardly.

“You can say drugs Dee,” Klaus chuckles, “Besides some low-dosage pain killers, mom didn’t,” He adds as he finishes up buttoning up his dress shirt.

“So, back when you did break your arm you didn’t _take_ anything?” Five questions.

“Yeah pain killers.”

“Nothing else?” Asks Ben with a sad expression.

Klaus laughs as he throws on his academy jacket, “No, gosh! It seems like you all _want_ me to take drugs. What happened to the ‘you need to stay sober Klaus’, and the ‘drugs are bad Klaus’. I thought you all would be glad, not sad—it’s all very confusing. You _all_ are confusing.”

“Well when you’re in pain, you typically take something to stop it,” Allison says.

“And I did, knock-off Advil worked _great_ ,” Responds Klaus, his no longer teasing tone ending the conversation.

“We should go to Pogo,” Speaks up Vanya.

They all nod and quickly look at Klaus who’s ignorant to the eyes on him as he does up his tie.

Without another word from any of them, they exit the infirmary and head towards the living room where Pogo’s waiting for them.

* * *

 

After their long morning session of complex numbers and biology, they were directed to their afternoon training that had lasted all the way to dinner.

After Klaus had gotten his cast taken off, Klaus had only spoken a handful of sentences throughout the whole day. Even when Klaus had yet again ditched training to hang out in Vanya’s room, he only spoke a couple of words to Vanya before sitting silently with his hands tightly clasped around his ears.

They were starting to get worried, Klaus had been doing so good since they’ve returned to the past. Sure, there was a couple of times in the past couple months where they caught Klaus staring at their father’s liquor cabinet a little too long or Klaus trying to sneak out before thinking better of it. They were proud of Klaus. And Ben, Diego and Vanya were the ones who were _outspoken_ with their pride.

Klaus knew that his siblings were happy about his sobriety. Proud of him for ‘defeating’ temptation and living every day without any narcotics. 

And Klaus was proud of himself too…at least on some days.

Some day’s Klaus could hardly pay attention to anything else but the ghosts that followed him where ever he went. On those day’s his mental walls were at their lowest, his emotions getting the better of him causing him to lose focus on blocking them out. With no drugs or alcohol to numb his powers, he’s been blocking them out by the power of sheer-will.

Which took a lot out of Klaus, he would become restless and dead-tired all at once. Most days, it felt like he was going through withdrawal over and over again without any sign of an end.

Klaus hated it but continued doing what he could without additional synthetic help.    

That morning with getting his cast taken off, his emotions and his focus were all over the place. With the mixture of fear of the buzzsaw and the pain Klaus still felt, his sibling’s concern and questions had sapped away the rest of his energy.

During studies Klaus had checked out, lost in the voices surrounding him. They weren’t screaming or even talking that loudly, but it still stopped Klaus from taking in any information Pogo was giving.

In what training Klaus had attended, most of the ghosts had left him alone by then.

Yet, the spirits that had left were the quite ones.

Leaving Klaus to face the loud, screeching ghosts, the ones who wouldn’t even say anything eligible but just liked screaming as loud as they could.

Even Vanya’s violin couldn’t drown them out.

It was one of those day’s where Klaus _has to_ detach himself from reality—force himself not to not care—to be _okay_.

It wasn’t until dinner where Klaus started to let himself fall back into the real world. One second, Klaus was someplace dark, warm and quiet—almost soothing in a way—then the next, Klaus is sitting at the dinner table with a plate full of home-cooked food and a cold fork in his hand.

The rest of the Hargreeves’s eat their food while half-listening to their father’s words. A recorded lecture is still playing, but the volume is turned down to allow Sir Reginald’s voice to be the loudest.

“After tomorrow night, your mother and Pogo will be in charge. I’m to be meeting a group of important people and I won’t be here for a couple of days,” Their father announces, making all their eyes shoot up off their plate towards Reginald, “I expect you all to keep up with your training, however no new mission’s will be given,” Sir Reginald continues, his cold blue eyes studying his children from the head of the table.

Their father’s words were a shock, but at least a good one. Feeling their fathers’ eyes on them, they school their expression from one of surprise and relief into one of indifference.

“Do any of you have any questions?” Reginald offers.

“When are you coming back?” Luther asks.

“In the evening the day after Sunday, perhaps Tuesday.”

“Do you need help from any of us?” Questions Allison, hoping it’s a ‘no’.

Sir Reginald looks at them pensively before shaking his head, “I doubt that I will need too, but my answer may change by tomorrow night.”

They all bob their head in understanding and continue to eat their dinner, but once they feel their father’s attention elsewhere, they all look at one another with a smile. 

Sir Reginald hasn’t been on such a trip since their first week back, when Luther and Klaus had gotten them all to talk to one another again.

Reginald’s voice telling Grace to turn up the vinyl player ends the Hargreeves sibling’s silent conversation.

Dinner continues smoothly, the seven of them sitting in silence with their hopes raised and emotions running high.

However, even with their father’s departure and the idea of time off, Klaus couldn’t help but feel that something’s going to happen.

And as he glances over to his father, Klaus’s heart skips a beat, his smile falls from his face and suddenly he’s met with a dozen new ghosts standing behind Sir Reginald.

He quickly drops his head and cringes as the screaming come’s back at full force. His siblings don’t see Klaus’s sudden change in behavior as they’re all too distracted their own daydreaming of the incoming weekend. Klaus keep one hand above the table, as his other keeps its tight grip upon his shorts, his boney knuckles white with tension.

Unknowingly to Klaus, Sir Reginald watches him with keen eyes, taking note in Klaus’s stiff posture and pathetic flinches.

Reginald shakes his head in disappointment and decides that Number Four could use some much-needed training.

* * *

 

That night, Klaus lays wide awake and alone of any physical bodies. He lays flat on his back with his headphone’s blasting music and his eyes clenched together, he was hoping that _all_ the spirits would have wondered off or disappeared by the time Klaus attempts to sleep.

But it seems that Klaus isn’t _that_ lucky.

The ghosts that crowd around his bed and room aren’t screaming or even talking that loudly.

Klaus can block out the screams, their senseless shouting. But when they’re all talking over one another and begging for closure, it’s somehow harder.

When their overlapping voice got to much he pulled out his best headphones and started playing a random cassette, it didn’t matter _what_ was playing as long as it _was_ playing something—and loudly.  

Also, when theirs at least eight spirits that wouldn’t stop staring at Klaus with their lifeless eyes, it was _disturbed_ Klaus on _so_ many levels. One being that he was currently a thirteen-year-old boy trying to sleep, and oh yeah, they were all dead. 

Klaus had shut his eyes so hard he felt like he popped something.

Lost in his own world of music and paranoia, Klaus doesn’t see or hear Ben entering his room.

“Klaus?” Whispers Ben quietly closing the door behind him.

He turns away from the door and steps further into the room, “Klaus you awake?”

Getting no response, he walks closer to Klaus’s bed, upon seeing his brothers scrunched up face and overhearing Klaus’s music from his headphones, Ben reaches out attentively towards his brother.

Once his hand touches Klaus’s shoulder, Klaus jumps off his bed, his mouth opening to let out a silent scream. With Klaus’s sharp movements, his headphones fly off his head and onto the bed.

Ben backs away from Klaus, but keeps close enough that Klaus can still reach out and touch him, “You okay?” Ben asks once the other teen’s breath evens out.

“Swell,” Replies Klaus as he softly coughs into his hand.

“You were quiet today,” Ben began, “Vanya said you hardly spoke to her when you snuck away, she told me you were talking to mumbling to yourself again.”

Klaus sits himself back onto his bed and avoids making eye contact with Ben, “It was nothing, I’ll tell her I’m sorry tomorrow. Glad to know that I’m gossip worthy though, thought I was becoming the _boring_ one in the family,” He teases.

“They were bad today—weren’t they?”

Sighing, Klaus lets himself fall backward onto his bed. He doesn’t need to ask Ben who ‘They’ are because Klaus knows who Ben is talking about, and frankly, Klaus doesn’t want to talk about ‘Them’.

“Klaus,” Ben tries, softening his voice, “Just tell me what’s wrong,” he continues as he sits himself next to Klaus.

Putting his arms over his face and groaning into them, Klaus peeks past his finger to look up at Ben. He feels a ping of guilt shoot through him at his brother’s face, his worried expression mixed with his youthful appearance sending that stab of guilt straight to his heart.

“Today has just been _loud_ , too _noisy_. And I couldn’t stop it—still can’t.”

“Are we alone right now?” Asks Ben, thinking back to when Klaus would find himself coming off whatever high he was on and ghosts immediately crowding around him like a magnet. Then Klaus would quickly take something and all, _but_ Ben would start to fade away, blocked out by the power of drugs and alcohol.

Klaus takes one quick look around his room and notices that they’re all looking at Ben and him. He quickly looks away and nods his head, “I don’t think privacy really matters to them anymore,” Klaus jokes.

Ben laughs quietly, “I tried to give you privacy before I realized I couldn’t leave you alone for a couple of seconds without getting yourself into trouble.”

“Remember that time I sneaked into that one club and I had the bouncer chase me around in circles until he gave up?” Klaus reminisces, “You have to admit that it was pretty hilarious.”

“I was just worried what would happen if he did catch you,” Admits Ben with a smile.

Klaus simply waved in response, “The thought never crossed my mind, I think my nineteen-year-old self was quite clever,” He boasts.

“I think the word your looking for is idiotic,” Smirked Ben, earning a flick to the back his neck.

The two of them sit quietly with one another. To Klaus’s surprise the ghosts are starting to either go away on their own accord or just vanish from his line of sight, “I think they’re leaving somehow,” Klaus quietly says aloud, worried that if he says it too loud they’ll come back.

“That good, yeah?” Ben questions, already knowing the answer.

Klaus grunts, “I don’t know why they’re leaving now when I’ve been trying all day to get them to go away.”

Ben hums in thought, “Maybe you were starting to forget they were there,” He suggests.

Scoffing, Klaus sits up off his head and looks down at his hands that sit in his lap, “If it was that easy, I wouldn’t have been a druggie for seventeen years. Probably still would’ve though, traumatic past and all,” Darkly jokes Klaus, earning a frown from Ben.

“Klaus—”

“How do you control it?” Klaus interrupts.

“The Horror, the _monster_ that lives _inside_ me?” Ben scoffs sadly, making Klaus look up at his brother with furrowed brows.

“Don’t let that asshole we call ‘dad’ get to you,” Argues Klaus, shocking Ben, “Just what do you do to control yourself?” He sighs.

“Thinking about our family I guess I didn’t and _don’t_ ever want to hurt you guys,” Ben Admits after thinking to himself for a second, “I had to learn to control my emotion’s first, I don’t know if you remember but for the first couple of years I wasn’t allowed to train with the rest of you.”

“Dad said you were dangerous, I didn’t want to believe him.”

“I’m still dangerous,” Says Ben.

Klaus shakes his head and wraps his arm around Ben’s shoulders, “Nah,” He starts, “The only thing that dangerous is that brain of yours,” Said Klaus tapping his finger on Ben’s temple.

“You’re an ass, I hate you,” Ben says with no heat behind it.

Klaus smiles, “Love you too bro.”

“Maybe we should let Vanya teach you about controlling your emotions,” Offers Ben, “Both of your powers might rely or be effected by emotions, mine are.”

“Sounds boring,” Groans Klaus, “But still better than what training I’ve had in the past,” he adds, holding back a shiver at the memories of the mausoleum.

He’s better than that now, he’s not afraid.

Ben still stiffens at the meaning behind Klaus’s words, but doesn’t say anything.

“Why aren’t you in your own room? You’re normally asleep by now,” Asks Klaus, “Not at all saying you shouldn’t be _here_ , but I’m just interested about why your still awake.”

“Diego was snoring really loud,” Ben deadpans with a shrug.

Klaus blinks a couple of times before Ben’s words catch up to him, “I didn’t hear anything,” He laughs.

“Headphones.”

“Why don’t we hear him now then?” Points out Klaus.

“I yelled at him before coming here,” Ben admits.

Klaus has to muffle his laughter with his pillow.

* * *

 

The next morning, Klaus wakes up feeling refreshed. His late-night talk with Ben really seemed to do wonders for Klaus’s state of mind.

Ben had left around one in the morning, leaving Klaus to get at least eight hours of rare blissful sleep. When he fell asleep there wasn’t a single ghost in sight. Klaus didn’t have to use his headphones and didn’t have any dreams he couldn’t handle. Then when he woke up, there wasn’t any ghosts staring down at him, like they’ve been doing the last week or so.

Maybe Klaus should try talking with his siblings more. It seems that maybe that’s all he may need to do to keep himself afloat, to keep out the ghosts and what they bring with them.

 

While Klaus debates on getting out of bed on time, the rest of the Hargreeves siblings are eating breakfast and discussing what they should do with their father’s oncoming trip.

“Where do you think dad is going?” Asks Luther, “I don’t remember him going on this trip the first time,” He adds.

“He did,” Says Diego with his mouth full, “The only thing that’s different is that he actually told us _himself_ that he was leaving—Pogo and mom had to tell us after he was already gone,” Points out Diego.

“Wonder why he decided to tell us this time,” Vanya questions, “It can’t be bad, right?”

“Not at all,” Five reassures her, “Perhaps the old man just wanted to see how’d we react, another stupid test.”

“Hopefully we passed,” Said Allison lightly.

“Okay, what have I missed?” Ben asks, his sudden presences shocking his siblings, “Oh sorry,” Chuckles Ben seeing his brothers and sister’s expressions.

“Good morning Ben, would you like some breakfast?” Greets Grace offering an already prepaid plate of eggs, bacon, and toast.

“Yes, thank you mom,” Ben Thanks, politely taking the plate from Grace with a smile.

Ben sets his plate down before digging in, “Alright, what were you all talking about?”

“Dad’s trip, and what we should do with our freedom,” Allison tells Ben.

“And what are we going to do?” Asks Ben.

“Whatever we want,” Diego replies.

“As long as we don’t get hurt or in trouble,” Luther adds.

The rest of the table roll their eyes but nods anyways.

“We should do to Griddy’s again,” Suggests Vanya, “It’s been a while since we’ve seen Agnes.”

“That’s because last time we went, Five almost through hands over a cup of coffee,” Allison recalls with a laugh.

“She promised us free coffee, yet still tried to get me to order something else,” Argues Five.

“Five, you have to admit that with us still looking like kids most people wouldn’t give us coffee,” Says Luther.

Five levels Luther with a glare that could kill, “The woman promised coffee, people can’t just go back on their word without facing consequences.”

“Calm down Five, you still got your coffee,” Diego warns with a smirk.

“We could always go somewhere else, like the bowling alley?” Wondered Ben, “It could be fun.”

Five scoffs, “Yeah, no thanks I’m good.”

“Don’t think the last time we went ended that well,” Said Diego, “Time-traveling assassins who’re trying to kill us don’t really leave us with cherishable memories.”

“What?” Vanya blurts.

Allison shakes her head and pats Vanya’s arm reassuringly, “It another one of those long stories.”

“Bowling alley is a no-go then, sorry Ben,” Apologizes Luther.

“I understand, I was there too. Was not fun,” Ben replies laughing lightly.

“What else can we do?” Asks Allison, looking across the table towards her siblings.

When no one suggests anything thing else, the kitchen becomes quite as they all try to think of some more ideas.

Five’s sigh interrupts that silence and what train of thought the others were on, “Since you all can’t think of anything else, it seems like we’re just going to have make this dump interesting somehow.”

“Staying inside might not be too bad, we wouldn’t have to risk getting caught sneaking away,” Luther points out, “Also, Klaus mentioned something about a movie night the last time dad left on a trip,” He adds.

“All the movies we have here are shit.”

“Language Diego,” Chides Grace, her cheerful tone still holding a warning.

Diego cringes, “Sorry mom.”

Grace smiles at Diego’s apology and continues washing the dishes, the sound of water running and ceramic plates moving around creates an atmospheric feeling that the six Hargreeves have come to love seeing in their day to day mornings.

“We’ll have to go out and rent some then,” Says Five, “Stores still do that right?”

“Yeah they still do,” Vanya answers trying to muffle her laughs. She receives a questioning look from Five.

“What?”

“Nothing, you just sounded like an old man just then,” Replies Vanya.

“Vanya, I still may not look old—in fact none of us do—but I’m still older than the rest of you,” Reminded Five, “It makes since if I sound old, I _am_ old.”

“Not in Agnes’s eyes you aren’t,” Diego jokes.

Five looks at Diego with a sneer, “Shut up.”

“Did Klaus say which movies?” Ben interjects, steering the conversation back to their movie night.

“No, but he did say something about ‘getting the band back together’. I don’t know where that’s from,” Answered Luther, “We could always ask him though too.”

“Oh yeah, did you get to talk to Klaus?” Allison asks, remembering that Ben mentioned to talking to Klaus the night before.

Ben smiles as he recalls his conversation with Klaus, “Yeah, we talked a bit about the past and joked about Diego’s loud snoring,” Ben says, holding back on telling the rest of their siblings about Klaus’s powers without his brother’s explicit permission.

“Diego snores?” Chuckles Luther, earning a glare from Diego.

“You haven’t heard him snoring?” Vanya gasps, “You and Allison are lucky having rooms so far away.”

“I’m not that loud,” Argues Diego.

“I had to yell at you to shut up last night!” Ben Exclaims.

“And you’re scary as hell when you yell!” Curses Diego, “You were a pacifist, what happened?” He huffs.

Ben shrugs, “Living with Klaus for fourteen years straight I guess.”

“Wait what about me?” Klaus asks, finally coming out of his room and down into the kitchen.

“Oh, Klaus dear, I just cleaned up breakfast. Want me to make you something else?” Grace questions Klaus.

“Oh no, I’m fine mom. I’ll just eat a big lunch,” Says Klaus.

“Oh, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Grace responds, “How about an apple, they keep the doctors away,” Sings mom.

“No—” Klaus begins before getting an elbow to the gut by Diego, “Yes, actually I’d love an apple. Thank you, mom,” Klaus says, giving mom one of his best smiles.

“Wonderful,” Beamed Grace before heading off to the pantry for an apple.

Klaus takes the empty seat between Ben and Luther, rubbing at the spot Diego elbowed him at with a weak glare, “So, what were you all saying about me? You weren’t putting a curse on me or anything right?”

Luther give Klaus a bewildered look, “How would we do that?”

“ _Why_ would we do that?” Five asks before Klaus can answer Luther.

Klaus gives the two of his brothers a half-shrug, “Why not, nothing like a little witchcraft in the morning.”

“What?” Says Luther looking even more confused.

“Here you go sweetheart,” Grace announces, setting down a bowl of apple slices in front of Klaus.

“Thanks again mom,” Thanks Klaus.

Grace smiles as pats Klaus on the head gently, “No problem dear, just remember that breakfast is important to one’s health.”

“I’ll remember,” Klaus tells her honestly.

Giving him and the rest of the children a smile, Grace leaves the table and the kitchen itself as she’s to do the rest of her morning duties.

“So, besides witchcraft what were you guy’s talking about?” Klaus says taking a noisy bite from one of his apple slices.

“Were having a movie night, and Luther said you had some movie choices,” Answers Ben.

“The one with ‘getting the band back together’?” Luther adds.

“Blue’s Brothers, a damn good movie! Where’d you hear about that one Lulu?” Asks Klaus.

“From you Klaus.”

Klaus thinks back on it for a second before remembering, “Oh yeah! We definitely need to watch that one.”

“And it not a movie from the future, right?” Five questions, “We can’t watch movies from the future, I’m not risking getting stuck in the future for a movie.”

“Nope, the movie’s from before we were born,” Answers Klaus, “We should stick to the classics you know.”

“Alright what are some other movies then?” Asks Allison.

Klaus takes another loud crunch of his apple slices and smiles widely at his siblings, “You’ll a paper and pen, you’re all now my apprentices for my masterful movie knowledge.”

Klaus’s sibling rolls their eyes and chuckle at their brothers’ antics, but still grab a piece of paper and pen.

He began listing movie titles and the years they came out, Klaus stopping every once and a while to let Vanya—who’s writing down the list due to her eligible handwriting—catch up.

Once Klaus is done listing enough movies for them to have a successful movie night, his siblings all silently thank Ben for whatever he said to Klaus that made him, well, _Klaus_ again.

* * *

 

After Pogo comes down to the kitchen and dismisses them to their studies, they spend the rest of their morning and all the way through the early evening being productive. That morning, things went well.

The day’s studies were rather easy, most of their topics being more of a review than learning anything new. Pogo was rather pleased with the seven’s sibling’s behavior and was rather surprised by Klaus’s change in attentiveness.

Klaus wasn’t asking questions or even answering anything, but instead of spacing out or falling asleep in his seat, he kept his eyes towards Pogo and paid attention to the lecture.

Klaus even took some notes—which surprised his siblings more than Pogo.

Even Klaus himself didn’t know why he was feeling so _okay_ , like somehow the world wanted to please him rather than beat him down.

It was confusing to say the least—but Klaus wasn’t gonna question it, he needed more days like this.

All though studies and lunch, the mood of the day stayed light and positive.

During lunch, Klaus kept his word to Grace and ate a big lunch. He ate more food than he usually would, his normally absent or pathetic appetite was nonexistent itself. Instead of eating only a little bit then shoving the rest of his food onto one of sibling’s plate, Klaus ate all of his lunch then accepted more food his siblings were offering.

Throughout lunch Ben couldn’t stop himself from smiling at Klaus’s recent change in behavior, but the curious part of him kept wondering _why_ things were so different— _what had happened?_

The rest of the Hargreeves teens where thinking along the same lines, but just like Ben, they kept their thoughts to themselves and left it alone—let Klaus have his day.

Klaus himself still didn’t understand why today was so _different_ , why he felt actually _good_. He chalked it up to having a full night worth of sleep, a good talk with Ben, and waking up to no ghosts in sight.

Then as the day continues, Klaus realizes that he hasn’t caught a glimpse of a spirit at all since last night. Which, in hind sight, should’ve made Klaus nervous. Instead he felt like maybe he finally made a break in controlling his powers while sober, that Ben was right about something.

Klaus didn’t think that his emotions were the key to his control or thinking about his family as a way to balance out his powers. Yet, Ben had to be right about _something_ , otherwise Klaus wouldn’t be having this _nice_ of a day.

Maybe talking it out was the best medicine—Klaus didn’t care how cliché it sounded, didn’t care if his siblings or anybody else thought it was dumb, downright idiotic—he just cared if it _worked._

Oh, if only the world worked like that.

From being dismissed from lunch to go clean themselves up before their scheduled training, they let themselves be separated as Vanya’s has to go to her own daily practice apart from the others.

Once changed into their training gear and escorted by Grace to their in-home gym, they separate into smaller groups. Luther and Diego sparring with one another, Allison and Ben practicing their agility, and Five and Klaus working on further establishing their powers limits.

Their mom had left them to their own devices and Pogo wasn’t there to spectate, today’s training looked like it was heading down the same path as their morning did—uncomplicated, easy, and different.

All was well…

Until it wasn’t.

“You’re not seeing anything right now? Nothing?” Questions Five, appearing behind Klaus unexpectedly.       

Klaus yelps, “Don’t do that you little shit,” He gasps.

Five ignores Klaus and jumps right in front of the other boy, “And you’re not on anything?”

“No! Wait—Yes, I’m not on anything!” Stumbles Klaus, “Haven’t been on anything since the apocalypse. Unless, you wanna count the pills mom gave me—which calling them pills is even a little too much, they were more like crunchy vitamins.”

Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, Five looks up at Klaus, “So, you’re sober?”

“Yes, and Ben can probably back me up—right Ben!” Klaus shouts.

“What?” Shouts back Ben.

“I’m sober right?”

“You know what I’ll do if you aren’t!”

Klaus looks as Five smugly, “See, stone sober.”

Five groans and decides to that he’s gotten enough out Klaus for today.

They resume training semi-silently, as it seems nearly impossible for Klaus to be completely silent today. Whether its humming some random song at the wrong pitch or talking absent mindedly to himself, the silence isn’t exactly guaranteed.

But the silence isn’t exactly _wanted_ either, so Klaus’s rhetorical questions and random noises aren’t discouraged.   

“Children.”

Then as soon the familiar inquisitive tone announces itself, the gym goes dead silent and everyone inside it stills. Whatever lightness that they’ve been feeling all day is sucked away, leaving a sense of emptiness and frustration within the six siblings. The day was becoming too good to be true.

Their father’s unexpected entrance affects Klaus the most out of any of them, the good feeling he’s been having all day vanishes, leaving him with an empty feeling and a numb limpness to his limbs.

Sir Reginald’s sharp cold gaze lands on Klaus’s frozen form, he tries to catch the boy’s gaze, but Klaus’s eyes are stuck behind his father’s authoritative figure.

The ghosts were back.

However, they stayed silent as they’re eyes stared straight through Klaus like he was a ghost himself.

Which was somehow worse than if they all started screaming.

Klaus could feel his father’s cold as death, but still alive eyes on him, he forces himself to turn away from the spirts pouring into the gym after his father. He holds back a whine as he recognizes the disappointed and intrigued look in his fathers’ eyes, it was horrifyingly familiar.

As it was the last thing he’d see before the freezing cold marble mausoleum door would shut in on him.

He knew that today was going _too_ well.

He knew that this day would come.

He knew he’d have to go back there.

He knew he couldn’t escape this.

But, he still wished, hoped and even prayed that maybe, just _maybe_ he wouldn’t have too.

 

“I’ve decided before my travels I should personally oversee your training for today,” Sir Reginald announces after making them all stand in line numerically, “You may resume,” He finishes.

They all tensely nod their head and split again into partners, sticking with the sibling there were with before their father’s interruption.

Luther and Diego stick to sparring with one another, but under the keen eye of their father they make more of an effort in their training. By the time Sir Reginald turns his attention to the others, Diego and Luther are sweating and breathing heavily, the two of them spotting new bruises. They couldn’t let their father know that their rivalry against one another was almost non-existent these days.

Allison and Ben resume running on their treadmills, the machines set to their highest setting. As their father observes them the two of them keep their faces free of emotions, not wanting to betray anything to Sir Reginald. Earning a curt nod in response to their training, Reginald moves past them and onto the last pair of Hargreeves’s children. Allison and Ben have to withhold a sigh of relief once their father silently walks past the two of them.

Five and Klaus continue pushing their powers, however it’s more like Klaus helping Five with his powers while Klaus’s weren’t working and then, now it’s working _too_ well. Five teleports all across the gym and even to some parts of the house, and when he asks Klaus for an object, Five teleports holding a fruit or a book. Klaus avoids looking up at their father and stays silent and still, he can’t stop his eyes from darting from one place to another, from ghost to ghost. Five tries to keep Reginald’s attention off of Klaus, but after a teleporting from his room back to the gym a couple times, his body is trembling, and his breath is heavy. 

“Number Four, why aren’t you training?” Sir Reginald demands.

“Mom told him to go easy on his arm, sir,” Says Five with his fists clutches tightly behind his back, as adding the ‘sir’ at the end is equivalent to chopping off your own finger.

Not even turning to look at Five, Reginald hums appreciatively, “I did not ask you Number Five, If you answer for your brother again you’ll be rewarded with a punishment,” He sternly addresses.

Five glares at the back of their father head but remains silent.

“Number Four, what do have to say for yourself?” Questions Reginald.

“Yesterday morning, mom when she took off my cast,” Klaus starts holding up his arm, “She, uh—well, told me that my arm is still healing, so, I should uh try to use it less?” He finishes lamely, stopping himself to nervously start scratching his arms.

“And you took that as an excuse to get out of training?” States their father, looking down at Klaus with a frustrated look in his eyes.

“N-No sir—”

“Number Four, I can no longer stand to be subject to your incompetence.”

“D-Dad— _Sir_ , I d-don’t mean it like that,” Klaus hesitates, his words becoming stuck in his throat the longer Sir Reginald looks down upon him in distaste.

“Quiet Number Four,” Orders Reginald, “You are starting to sound like Number Two,” He harshly accuses.

It the corner of his eye, Klaus can see Diego flinch from their father’s harsh words.

Sir Reginald’s face turns into a scowl, “Number Four if will, can you follow me to my study to discuss what we shall do with your negligence to your daily duties.”

Klaus swallows’ past the lump in his throat and sneaks a look towards the rest of his siblings, they all share similar expressions of disbelief, anger, and worry. Anger being more prominent on Ben’s face, as he’s more concerned about Klaus then their father catching onto Ben’s hatred.

Accepting his fate and hopes that his father isn’t lying about taking him to his study and _not_ the mausoleum, Klaus quietly agrees, “Yes, sir.”

Reginald Curtly nods at Klaus before looking up at the rest of his children, “I apologize for Number Four’s disruption, you all may return to your own training,” He addresses the others.

Klaus keeps his head down and eyes glued to the floor, he’s worried that if he looks up and makes eye contact with one of his siblings, one of them will start to argue with their father, which would make everything _worse_.

Or an even worse scenario, he’ll make eye contact and see _relief_ or annoyance on their faces.

The intelligent part of his brain told him that his family wouldn’t be like that, _wouldn’t_ take their father’s side over his. That if looked up and saw his sibling’s faces they’d sill be worried and angry—towards their father, _not him_.

His family wouldn’t do that to him, not _him_ , not _now_ —they’re a _family_ now, a _real_ one.       

Sir Reginald, grips Klaus’s shoulder and pushes him forward, directing him towards the gym’s doors. Klaus follows without resisting, he ignores how his father’s grip tightens as they put more distance between them and the rest of Hargreeves’s children.

Klaus forces down the need to look back at his siblings, his family. He hears the beginnings syllabus of protest before getting cut off by the gym doors shutting behind him. Klaus shoves down the hope that spikes up in his chest when after seconds of leaving the gym. Thinking maybe, just  _maybe,_  someone would run out after them.

Nobody does. 

Sir Reginald notice’s the absence of a struggle and let’s go of Klaus’s shoulder, “If you’ll follow me Number Four, I expect that our conversation won’t take long.”

Klaus nods slowly and waits for his father to start walking towards his study, once Reginald does, Klaus follows wordlessly.

As they make their way to Sir Reginald’s study, they pass by Vanya’s room where she peeks her head out after Reginald already walked by. Klaus is knocked out of his own little world when he feels a soft hand brushing past his arm, he looks up and finds Vanya looking at him with concern.

'Are you okay?' She mouths.

Klaus gives her a crooked twist of the lips and pulls away from her, rushing quietly to catch up to their father.

Vanya’s concern turns into of fury, her eyes burning with hatred as she stares at the back of Reginald’s head, her gaze so strong, that their father whips his head around.

She hides back into her room before Reginald can spot her, he huffs and gives Klaus an irritated look before opening up his study and letting Klaus in first.

Sir Reginald takes one last look around the hallway, adjusts his monocle and jacket cuffs,straightening himself out. 

It's been too long, Reginald decides. 

He should've been closer attention to Number Fours training, should've had the boy face his fears again months ago. 

They need to save the world after all, Reginald can't afford such a failure. 

He roughly sighs and enters his study.

 

Klaus sits down in the chair opposite to his father’s chair, he’s sat enough times in Reginald’s study where Klaus thinks that he might know the room better than the back of his own hand.

Reginald takes his time getting to his desk, he draws out the sound his shoes make on the hardwood floors and the loud thump his cane makes.

Once he sits down, Sir Reginald looks over Klaus with sharp eyes, “You had your cast taken off yesterday, correct?”

“Yes.”

“How long did you wear your cast?”

“Three months.”

“That long?” Asks Reginald, no surprise in his tone.

Klaus licks his lips, “Yes, it was a bad break.”

“What made you think you could cut back on your training Number Four?”

“Mom said—”

“Grace told me about your _limits_ ,” Interrupts Sir Reginald, “She informed me that once your cast was removed, you could continue to train.”

Klaus stays quiet and tries to recall exactly what mom had told him about his arm, he knew she said something about training and staying off it, but he couldn’t remember what else she told him.

“Number Four, what do you have to say for yourself?”

“I didn’t remember what mom told me about my arm,” Klaus answers he sounding surprisingly confidant.

Sir Reginald scowls and Klaus ducks his head, “I don’t believe your taking your training seriously Number Four.”

Klaus gulps and fiddles picks at his nails, wishing there was paint for him to scratch off.

“I believe that I’ve been too lenient with your additional training,” States Reginald before pausing, “Tell me Number Four, are you still afraid of the powers you possess?” His father interrogates.

“I think I can handle them now,” Tries Klaus.

“I disagree,” Says Reginald, “I’ve seen you Number Four, you freeze up like a scared little boy. It’s pathetic and cowardly.”

Klaus bites down on his cheek until he tastes blood, “They—”

“What happens if you freeze up like that and your get someone killed? What happens if one of your siblings die because of your childish fear? You’re a danger to your team if you keep fearing your gift,” His father cuts in.

Klaus stills at his fathers’ words, he never thought about his fear of his powers being dangerous to his family. He though the worst that could happen with his powers was _him_ getting hurt, _not_ his siblings. Klaus lets the words soak into his brain and suddenly thinks of how stupid he is for not thinking of this before, he thinks of all the times he froze up during missions and how those missions were considered failures.

 _He’s the lookout for fuck’s sake_.

Even when he was the lookout at the theater when Vanya was playing, he froze up at the sound of ghostly wails and got trapped, stuck in his own mind. He hadn’t been that sober in over a decade and even though he’s been dealing with ghosts his whole life, even when _the_ _apocalypse_ was happening he still froze up. Sure, he snapped out of it but that was only because of Ben had caught his attention.

But Ben’s not always going to be there to be a secondary lookout, especially not when he’s _alive_ and they’re all doing missions again.

And Klaus isn’t always the lookout on every mission now in day’s either, but what if he’s trying to cover one of them and he just freezes and fucks everything up.

Klaus doesn’t think that he’s _that_ sensitive to ghosts. Not anymore, really.

But maybe he is _that_ sensitive, Klaus doesn’t necessarily _like_ the ghosts that haunt him and scream, and he’s not as afraid of them now compared to when he was young the first time around. But, what if he does freeze up and someone _does_ gets hurt.        

Klaus couldn’t handle that.

However, Klaus doesn’t want to go back to the mausoleum to ‘train’ himself either.

“Number Four, you are to return back to your room immediately after you are dismissed. That’s when your additional training will take place, I will be expecting you to be ready by the time I come to get you,” His father informs his flatly.

Klaus grips his shorts in his hands, and nods.

There’s nothing he can do, he couldn’t change this, he was supposed to go through this—like some predestined bullshit.

So that should mean he can handle it, he’s been through this before, he knows what he’s gonna find inside the mausoleum.

Death.

* * *

 

When Klaus returns to the gym, his siblings are sitting all sitting in a group talking quietly with one another.

They don’t realize that Klaus is standing there until he lets the door shut loudly behind him.

“Klaus?” Carefully asks Ben.

“Klaus what did dad say?” Luther questions after Klaus doesn’t respond, but instead walks past them with his head facing down.

“C’mon man, are you alright?” Finally asks Diego, standing up and putting his hand on Klaus’s shoulder in a comforting gesture, “Klaus?”

Diego gently guides Klaus so that the other is looking at him, “Hey,” He says, his tone strong.

Diego sees his eyes flickering from Diego’s face, to the others still huddled on the ground and then past them all, Klaus looking at the things that only he can see. He’s unusually subdued and uncertain, and it makes him seem younger both mentally and physically.

It worries Diego.

“Hey,” Diego tries again, gently shaking Klaus’s shoulder, “Klaus?”

Klaus looks up at him, his eyes staying on him, unwavering, “I-I’m—,” Klaus mumbles.

Then without warning, the dinner bell rings throughout the house—the gym included.

While the others were distracted Klaus pushes Diego out of the way with a surprising amount of strength. He runs out of the gym doors with out a speaking a word, leaving his siblings looking confused and a little hurt due to Klaus’s behavior.

They wonder if talking to Klaus maybe didn’t make things better but made everything worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the hard stuff I was talking about...  
> Thanks for reading Y'all! Please leave a comment or a kudo, they make me very happy. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading, please leave a kudos and/or a comment. <3


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